Squash Chilli & Sage Filled Shells

Roast the squash

1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC
2. Add the squash halves and garlic to an oven tray
3. Drizzle generously with olive oil and season well with salt and pepper
4. Roast the squash and garlic for 35–40 minutes until completely tender and caramelised at the edges
5. Leave to cool slightly then scoop the flesh away from the skin into a blender or food processor
6. Squeeze the garlic cloves into the blender along with the nutmeg and ricotta
7. Season generously with salt and pepper
8. Taste and season with more salt if needed
9. Add the mix to a bowl and fold through the sage and chilli

Roast courgette

1. Add the courgette to a shallow casserole dish
2. Drizzle with olive oil and season lightly with salt
3. Roast for 20–25 minutes until tender

Cook the pasta shells

1. While the veg cooks, bring a large pan of well salted water to the boil
2. Cook the pasta shells for 2 minutes less than the packet instructions say to, they should be pliable but still have significant bite
3. Drain carefully, reserving at least 150ml pasta water, trying not to break any shells, and lay out on an oiled tray to cool slightly and prevent sticking

Make the béchamel

1. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over a medium heat
2. Add the flour and stir constantly for 2 minutes until a smooth paste forms and it smells slightly nutty
3. Pour in the milk gradually, whisking constantly to prevent lumps, until all the milk is incorporated and the sauce is smooth
4. Stir in the reserved 150ml of the pasta water, it might look a little thin but it’ll thicken nicely under the grill
5. Cook over a medium heat, stirring regularly, for 2 minutes until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon
6. Remove from the heat and stir through the parmesan or nutritional yeast and a generous grating of nutmeg
7. Taste and season with salt and pepper

Assemble

1. Turn the oven off and preheat the grill to high
2. Pour the béchamel evenly over the courgettes
3. Pipe or spoon the squash filling generously into each pasta shell
4. Nestle the filled shells into the béchamel, open side up and push down so they’re slightly submerged
5. Scatter over a little more parmesan or nutritional yeast

Grill

1. Place under the hot grill for 5–10 minutes until the tops of the shells are golden and beginning to char at the edges
2. Keep a close eye as grills vary in heat

Serve

1. Serve while hot