Spinach & Ricotta Cannelloni

Name: Spinach & Ricotta Cannelloni
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 80 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 3 tbsp Olive Oil; 8 cloves chopped Garlic; 3 tbsp Caster Sugar; 2 tblsp Red Wine Vinegar; 1200g Chopped Tomatoes (3 cans); Bunch Basil Leaves; 2 tubs Mascarpone; 3 tbsp Milk; 85g Parmesan; 2 sliced Mozzarella; 1kg Spinach; 3 tubs Ricotta; pinch Nutmeg; 400g Cannellini Beans

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Serves 8 632 kcal per serving Prep 35 min Cook 45 min Passive 10 min

Ingredients

3 tbsp Olive Oil
8 cloves chopped Garlic
3 tbsp Caster Sugar
2 tblsp Red Wine Vinegar
1200g Chopped Tomatoes (3 cans)
Bunch Basil Leaves
2 tubs Mascarpone
3 tbsp Milk
85g Parmesan
2 sliced Mozzarella
1kg Spinach
3 tubs Ricotta
pinch Nutmeg
400g Cannellini Beans

Instructions

Start by making the tomato sauce. Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant but not coloured. Stir in the sugar, red wine vinegar and chopped tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper and simmer for around 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thick. Remove from the heat, stir in the basil and divide the sauce between two or more shallow ovenproof dishes. Set aside.
In a bowl, beat the mascarpone with the milk until smooth. Season to taste and set aside.
Place the spinach in a large colander and pour over boiling water to wilt it. When cool enough to handle, squeeze out the excess liquid. Roughly chop and transfer to a large bowl. Add the Parmesan, ricotta and nutmeg, mix well and season generously.
Preheat the oven to 200°C / 180°C fan. Spoon the filling into a piping bag or food bag with the corner cut off and pipe it into the cannelloni tubes. Arrange the tubes snugly over the tomato sauce. Spoon over the mascarpone sauce and scatter with the remaining Parmesan and the mozzarella slices.
Bake for 30–35 minutes until golden and bubbling. Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Tips

Squeeze every bit of moisture out of the cooked spinach before mixing with the ricotta to prevent a watery filling.
Use a piping bag (or a plastic bag with the corner cut off) to fill the cannelloni tubes quickly and without mess.
Ensure the pasta is completely covered by the tomato and bechamel sauces so the tubes cook through without getting hard edges.

Variations

Meat Cannelloni: Add some cooked ground beef or veal to the spinach mixture for a heartier meal.
Pesto Twist: Add 2 tablespoons of basil pesto to the ricotta filling for a nutty, herbal depth.