This fun pasta shape, Lumaconi, is from the Campania region of Italy. It gets it’s name from the word lumaca, which is Italian for snail. These shells are large and excellent quality. You can order them online here. If you can’t find them, you can also use large conventional pasta shells; but I admit that these shells were better. Just be sure to boil them for the cooking time on the package and not overcook, since they will finish in the oven and you don’t want them to break apart. You may have a few that break a bit; but the presentation is still fabulous. I used tofu ricotta in this recipe, which is a nut free alternative to my cashew ricotta (recipe here). Both work really well. It makes a great family meal and delicious leftovers. And, if you would like to go all in and have an Italian themed dinner or party, you can serve this dish, and style your Italian table like I did in this video here. So much fun and your guests will love it! Buon appetito!
To Make The Tofu Ricotta
Add all of the ricotta ingredients to a food processor. Process until it’s a ricotta consistency. Add a touch of water or plant milk if you need to thin out the consistency a little. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
To Make The Baked Lumaconi
Preheat oven to 350F. Cook the shells according to package instructions. When done cooking, gently take the shells out of the pot with a slotted spoon or spider utensil. Place them on a dry dish towel so they don’t stick. Add a little sauce to coat the bottom of a baking dish. When cool to the touch, fill each shell with the ricotta and place them in the baking dish. Spoon the sauce over them. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil and serve warm.
