Christmas recipe: paccheri stuffed with shrimp and ricotta cheese on a bed of parmesan cream

Elegant and with a rich, full-flavored taste, paccheri stuffed with shrimp and ricotta cheese on a bed of parmesan cream is a delicious dish that will be the perfect addition to your Christmas table. Chopped pistachio adds a lightly crunchy note, further elevating the dish's appeal with added flavor and color.

Add this dish to your recipe book and get ready to wow your guests!

Paccheri stuffed with shrimp and ricotta cheese on a bed of parmesan cream with chopped pistachios: Ingredients for 8 people

For the Parmigiano Reggiano cream:

• 500 ml whole milk
• 200 g grated Parmigiano Reggiano PDO
• 50 g 00-type flour
• 40 g butter
• 1 tsp. table salt
• nutmeg (optional)

For the paccheri stuffed with shrimp and ricotta cheese:

• approx. 750 g paccheri pasta shells
• 250 g ricotta cheese
• about twenty shrimp or prawns, already cleaned
• 50 g grated Parmigiano Reggiano PDO
• extra-virgin olive oil (as needed)
• 1 clove of garlic
• zest of 1 untreated lemon
• 6–7 basil leaves
• chopped pistachios, to taste

Directions

For the Parmigiano Reggiano cream:

In a non-stick saucepan, heat the milk without bringing it to a boil. In another small saucepan, slowly melt the butter and gradually sprinkle in the flour, stirring with a whisk.

Add the warmed milk to the saucepan with the butter and flour a little at a time, continuing to stir with the whisk, always over low heat or an electric burner set to low.

As soon as the mixture has thickened, remove the saucepan from the heat or burner and add the grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and a teaspoon of salt. Stir with the whisk until creamy. Add a pinch of nutmeg to taste.

For the paccheri stuffed with shrimp and ricotta cheese:

Drizzle a bit of extra-virgin olive oil into a non-stick skillet, add the clove of garlic and the shrimp, and sauté over high heat for about 2 minutes. Then mince the shrimp and set them aside.

In a saucepan bring water to a boil, add salt, and pour in the paccheri.

In a bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, lemon zest, chopped basil, and minced shrimp. Mix everything together until it's well-blended, and transfer it to a piping bag.

When the paccheri have reached the al dente stage, drain them and place them upright on a cutting board. Season them with a drizzle of oil and use the piping bag to fill them one by one.

Spread two or three tablespoons of the parmesan cream in the center of each of your dining companions' plates, and gently place a portion of the stuffed paccheri on top. Sprinkle with a little more grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and the chopped pistachios, and serve: enjoy your delicious Christmas first course!