Baked Paccheri Pasta with Spinach Feta Filling
Paccheri tubes filled with sautéed spinach and crumbled feta, arranged upright in a béchamel sauce and topped with melted cheese. The pasta is partially pre-cooked to al dente, then finished in the oven until golden. A layered baked pasta dish combining Italian and Greek flavors.
Ingredients
- 1 lb paccheri pasta, driedrigatoni1:1prep changes
- 1 ¼ lb spinach, frozen
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 1 lb tomato sauce
- 1 ¼ cups feta cheese, crumbledricotta1:1Full guide →
- 5 ½ tbsp butter, divided
- ½ cups wheat flour
- 2 processed cheese portionsEmmental slices2:30g
removes:dairy
- 4 cups semi-skimmed milkwhole milk1:1
- salt, to taste(optional)
- 1 cups grated hard cheese, Gouda, Emmental, or similar
Instructions
- 1
Cook frozen spinach in a covered pot with water over medium heat for 30 minutes, checking occasionally and adding water as needed.
- 2
Drain spinach thoroughly in a colander, pressing to remove excess moisture. Set aside.
- 3
Heat olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Sauté peeled minced garlic until just before it begins to brown.
- 4
Add spinach to garlic, stir to combine.
- 5
Add tomato sauce and crumbled feta cheese. Cook for a couple of minutes.
- 6
Adjust salt to taste and blend the mixture with an electric mixer. Cool to room temperature.
- 7
Transfer filling to a piping bag. Set aside.
- 8
Make béchamel: Heat butter in a pot until melted. Add flour and stir well to combine.
- 9
Add the cheese portions and stir for one minute.
- 10
Pour in semi-skimmed milk gradually while stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Cook for 20 minutes and remove from heat.
- 11
Cook paccheri in a large pot of salted water for just over half the manufacturer's recommended time (approximately 10 minutes for 16-minute pasta).
- 12
Transfer pasta to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking. Drain and lay on a kitchen towel to dry.
- 13
Grease the base and sides of a round baking dish (10 ¼" diameter) with butter.
- 14
Stand paccheri tubes upright in the dish and fill each using the piping bag.
- 15
Cover pasta with béchamel sauce. Sprinkle grated cheese over the surface and dot with small pieces of butter.
- 16
Bake in a preheated oven at 425°F with heat from above and below for 10 minutes or until the surface is lightly golden.
Tips
Undercook the pasta deliberately during boiling; it finishes cooking in the oven and absorbs the béchamel.
Press spinach firmly in the colander to ensure it is completely dry, which prevents a watery filling.
Add milk to béchamel gradually while whisking constantly to achieve a smooth, lump-free sauce.
Stand the paccheri tubes upright rather than laying them flat so they hold the filling securely.
Good to Know
Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 180C oven for 15-20 minutes, covered with foil to prevent over-browning.
Assemble the dish up to 8 hours in advance, cover, and refrigerate. Bake just before serving, adding 2-3 minutes to baking time if baking from cold.
Let rest for 5 minutes after baking before serving to allow the béchamel to set. Serve directly from the baking dish.
Common Mistakes
Do not skip the ice bath for the pasta to avoid overcooking and mushiness in the final dish.
Do not add milk to béchamel all at once to avoid lumpy sauce.
Do not compress or lay the pasta flat to avoid filling leaking out during baking.
Substitutions
Dairy-Free Swaps
General Alternatives
removes:dairy