Conchiglioni (large pasta shells) filled with ricotta

To make the Italian tomato sauce, place the olive oil in a heavy-based stockpot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft. Add the Italian passata and water. Bring to the boil, then add the basil, a pinch of salt and the sugar. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for approximately 1 hour or until the sauce has reduced to your required consistency, stirring occasionally so that the sauce does not stick to the pot and burn, then remove from the heat. Add additional water, where required.

Preheat the oven to 180 °C conventional oven/ 160°C fan-forced (350° Fahrenheit/Gas 4).

Place a large pot with water on high heat and bring to the boil. Add a pinch of salt and conchiglioni pasta to the boiling water and cook until 2 minutes short of the ‘al dente’ time – refer to the cooking time specified in pasta packet instructions. Drain the pasta and set aside.

Ladle the Italian tomato sauce into a large baking dish.

To make the ricotta mixture, use a spoon to combine the ricotta, Parmigiano Reggiano, chopped basil, freshly grated nutmeg and sea salt in a medium sized bowl.  Fill each pasta shell with the ricotta mixture using a disposable piping bag, then lay conchiglioni on top of the Italian tomato sauce. Grate extra Parmigiano Reggiano over the top of the conchiglioni, cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes, removing the foil for last 5 – 10 minutes of cooking. Serve immediately – buon appetito.