Mushroom & Chestnut Stuffed Pasta Shells

Recipe: Mushroom & Chestnut Stuffed Pasta Shells

Mushroom & Chestnut Stuffed Pasta Shells are a bit different from the usual cheese, spinach stuffed ones. With a stuffing of mushrooms, roasted chestnuts and a creamy sauce, this dish is ideal as a pasta dish for parties. The creamy luxurious sauce and the flavours of mushrooms and chestnuts makes this pasta dish a five star dish but served at home.

Sharing This Recipe With Sunday Funday

Renu who blogs at Cook With Renu suggested we use chestnuts, fresh, tinned, flour, etc. A challenging theme for me as I have not grown up enjoying chestnuts. In fact the first time I tasted them were during my visit to UK during winter many years ago. My sister roasted them and we peeled and enjoyed them while sitting round her kitchen table and chatting about our childhood.

After that got to taste them earlier in the year at my sister in law’s place in Florida. She opened up ready roasted and peeled chestnuts and we munched on them.

Truthfully, I had to search the internet for ideas on how to use chestnuts. The only chestnuts I know and use often or rather the flour is water chestnuts that are available in India.

 

What Are Chestnuts?

Chestnuts are the edible fruit or nuts of deciduous trees in the family Castanea, which grows in Europe, North America, and Asia. They have a hard, spiny outer shell and starchy interior. They usually grow in clusters that being the reason of one side of the nut being flat. After roasting or boiling, the skin is removed before one can enjoy the sweetish soft starchy nut.

 

How I Used Chestnuts?

Unfortunately, I didn’t see chestnuts in our local supermarket but I did get a package of ready roasted and peeled chestnuts. From ideas of using it in muffins, desserts to a spread, I finally decided to use them as a stuffing for pasta shells. Actually it had been over two weeks since I had bought the pasta shells. Hubby kept on asking when I would use them. That is when I thought of pairing them with mushrooms. After all don’t they use them for stuffing a turkey?

Overall verdict: Pairing it the creamy sauce I make for Lemon Linguine, everyone loved the pasta. I would however not allow the parmesan to brown as that made the topping in some places a bit chewy. I would probably allow it to just melt or use a combination of different cheeses.

 

Check Out How Members Of Sunday Funday Used Chestnuts

 

• Chestnut Soup with Bacon from Amy’s Cooking Adventures
• Mushroom & Chestnut Stuffed Pasta Shells from Mayuri’s Jikoni
• Roasted Chestnuts from Culinary Cam
• Schezwan Water Chestnuts in Lettuce Wraps from Sneha’s Recipe
• Seared Chicken with Chestnuts from A Day in the Life on the Farm

 

Some More Pasta Dishes You May Like

Ingredients Required For Mushroom & Chestnut Stuffed Pasta Shells

Pasta Shells

I used about 18. It is best to boil a few extra as some shells tend to tear on boiling. You can always use up the extra shells in a hearty soup. Boil the pasta as per the instructions on the package. Mine took 16 minutes. Don’t cook the pasta till it gets too soft. It will become difficult to stuff and may not hold the shape of the shell.

Mushrooms 

I would have liked to use a variety of mushrooms but only got the button mushrooms. Use any variety of your choice. Don’t soak the mushrooms, just wipe them clean with a damp towel. You don’t want the stuffing to be watery.

Chestnuts 

Roasted, peeled and chopped. I used ready roasted chestnuts and chopped them.

Olive Oil

Need some to saute the stuffing.

Butter

Optional. I added some as I like the flavour of butter with mushrooms. If you want to use butter, replace it with olive oil.

Onion 

Peeled and finely chopped. Use either red, yellow or white. I have used red onion.

Garlic

Peeled and chopped. You need some for the stuffing and also some for the sauce.

Parsley

Fresh or dried, to add to the stuffing and the sauce.

Lemon

Need some lemon juice for the stuffing as it helps to balance the sweetish taste of the chestnuts. Need some lemon zest for the sauce.

Salt

Add according to your taste. Need for the stuffing, the sauce and also when you boil the pasta.

Black Pepper Powder

For the stuffing and the sauce too.

Red Chilli Flakes

For the sauce. This ingredient is optional. However, it does add a bit of a kick to the overall flavour of the dish.

Fresh Cream

For the sauce, use fresh whipping or double cream.

All Purpose Flour

Need a little to thicken the sauce.

Ricotta

I added some ricotta to the stuffing. Helps to hold the stuffing together.

Parmesan

Grated, add some to the stuffing. Need some to sprinkle over the stuffed pasta shells before baking. Can opt to use any other cheese of your choice.

Water

Enough water to boil the pasta.

 

 

 

 

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