Colby, Butternut and Cheese Stuffed Pasta Shells on a Creamy Sugo

SUGO

• 15 ml  olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tin whole tomatoes, finely chopped
• 70 g tomato sofrito
• Salt and black pepper
• 5 ml dried oregano
• 100 ml cream

FILLING

• 500 ml cubed butternut drizzled with 15 ml olive oil, seasoned with salt and pepper and 5ml sugar
• 100ml smooth ricotta
• 100 g  KLEIN RIVER COLBY, grated
• 150 g  wood-smoked bacon
• 15 ml  olive oil
• Seasoning to taste

TO ASSEMBLE

• 300 g  jumbo pasta shells
• 100 g  KLEIN RIVER COLBY, grated
•  Fresh basil

METHOD

TO MAKE THE SUGO

1. Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until soft and translucent (about 5 minutes). Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
2. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, tomato sofrito, oregano, salt, and pepper. Simmer gently for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens.
3. Lower the heat and stir in the cream.

TO MAKE THE FILLING

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C.  Place the butternut on a large baking tray, season with salt, pepper and the sugar and drizzle over a little olive oil.  Add the bacon to the same tray and place in the oven.  Remove the bacon once it is crisp and cooked and continue to cook the butternut until it is soft. Cool completely
2. Combine the soft butternut, ricotta, grated cheese and the olive oil and mush lightly together.  Season to taste and lastly add half of the cooked (chopped) bacon to the filling.

TO ASSEMBLE

1. Cook the pasta shells, drain and rinse with cold water.
2. Spoon the tomato sugo into the bottom of your oven dish.  Stuff each pasta shell with a tablespoon of the filling and place into the tomato sugo.
3. Sprinkle over the grated cheese and bake in the oven for ±25 minutes. ·                 
4. Add the rest of the crispy bacon and some fresh basil just before serving