In a heated pan, put the extra virgin olive oil. Saute the chopped onion gently for 7 to 8 minutes. Like most pasta, the only difference between this pasta and any other is simply the size and shape. This pasta is good to throw into soups or stews, but is a personal favourite in the summer when I use it to make simple salads, or layered salads as it is the perfect size to make a neat thin layer of pasta as a layer. Conchiglie is an Italian pasta shaped like a seashell. This pasta type comes in three sizes: small, regular, and large. They’re also called conchigliette, conchiglie, and conchiglioni, respectively. Their shape and sizes determine the kinds of dishes they go well with. When I think of comfort food, two things come to mind: a warm bowl of soup and a hearty casserole or baked pasta. The Italians really know how to make their comfort food well, and this Stuffed Shells with cheese recipe is no exception! Unique pasta shapes contribute more than just aesthetic appeal to various dishes. They also serve a special function. For conchiglie, the seashell shape helps the pasta retain the flavor of the sauce. The larger conchiglioni, on the other hand, helps hold the ingredients together. Sources

Egg: An egg helps binds the filling with all of the cheeses together, and also raises it slightly when cooking. As I live alone I’m usually making very small quantities of food and so I’ll usually microwave the conchigliette. Microwave Conchigliette Mini Seashell Pasta: In a medium-sized bowl, mix the salt and 1 cup flour. Form a small well between the flour mixture using your hands. When the pasta has cooked, drain it and add it to the large bowl with the dressing and veg. Toss everything together to incorporate all of the ingredients. Add salt and pepper to taste and set it aside to cool for a good 4-6 hours. After about an hour, give it another stir and if you’ve got room for it, place the salad in the fridge. Tiny smooth pasta shells, Barilla Conchigliette have a graceful concave shape and a smooth external surface that makes them ideal for recipes in broth and past. A real miniature work of art in the kitchen.All pasta is the same” though – it’s just in different sizes and shapes, so don’t worry about finding this particular size/shape or brand – have a look on the shelves of your local stores and see what they have that’s small and would work. Any brand/size/shape you want will work! Cooking Conchigliette Pasta The pasta shells used in this stuffed shells with spinach recipe are known in Italian as "conchiglie" which means "shells" or "seashells" because they look a lot like conch shells that you'd find at the seaside. They are made in different sizes as well: conchigliette is a small shell shape, and conchiglioni is the larger shell for stuffing that we use here. On a countertop, lightly spread the remaining flour. Remove the dough from the bowl and start kneading it for about 5 minutes on the working surface. Cheese: Four types of cheeses are used in this stuffed shells recipe: ricotta and cream cheese for creaminess, mozzarella to add a gooey texture, and parmesan for some cheesy sharpness. Conchiglie is a pasta variety that is shaped like a conch shell. The smallest shell shape is called conchigliette and the largest shell shape is called conchiglioni.

Today I have prepared for you a very easy and tasty recipe: Conchigliette al Pesto, made with my homemade Fresh Basil Pesto Sauce recipe. There is no excuse for not eating healthy as this dish is ready in only 10 minutes!

Garlic powder: We're making Italian, you knew garlic would be in here somewhere! I opted for garlic powder this time, but a clove of fresh garlic, minced, would be fine. As the largest in the group, conchiglioni is best stuffed with a myriad of ingredients and baked in an oven. Here are the steps: Combine ricotta cheese, half of the mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and egg in a bowl, along with the wilted spinach. Fill each shell and arrange them in rows in the baking dish. Top with remaining sauce and cheese.