Broccoli & ricotta stuffed shells

I used to make this baked broccoli pasta dish a lot during uni as it’s cheap, easy, healthy and comforting. Just remember to rest it before serving - the roof of your mouth will thank you.

Before the internet set us free with access to a vast array of cooking content we had DVDs. In the late 00's there was this one Jamie Oliver DVD that I purchased with pocket money at Cairns Central Sanity and you better believe that thing got a thrashing over school holidays.

That DVD, just a partial season of his series Jamie At Home, created a core memory. The series consisted of Jamie growing and cooking with fruit and veg at home, featuring a specific ingredient each episode.

Ok and broccoli-stuffed shells?

In one particular episode on broccoli and cauliflower, Jamie cooks down both vegetables in a pan with garlic, anchovies and chilli, then funnells the mash into cannelloni shells before baking in a red sauce.

The technique stuck in my mind. I can still remember the places I've sat while watching it. 10+ years later, it's been the partial inspiration for some of my most popular recipes like the broccoli pasta. Here is another iteration where everyone's favourite brassica shines to make a comforting and healthy pasta bake.

Tips before you begin

• Use this broccoli cutting trick to avoid broccoli dandruff.
• You don't need to pre-cook the pasta, just make sure there's enough red sauce for them to absorb.
• Always rest your bake for 10 minutes before serving, this lets it firm up a little and stops everyone totally scorching their mouthes on it.