Delicious Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni
This is the only vegetarian dish that my hubby really loves, he’s always asking me to make it! I actually really enjoy cooking this dish too which helps. It’s a little time consuming but its fun, tasty, healthy and doesn't cost a fortune! It services 6-8 adults. Serve it with a nice salad and some crusty bread.
Ingredients
•1 x packet of fresh cannelloni sheets (12 sheets around 11cm x 15 cm) OR 20 x pre-made cannelloni tubes you find in the pasta section at the super market. *I personally like using the fresh cannelloni sheets - it’s easier and quicker to put the filling in.
•1 x packet of frozen FINELY chopped spinach (thawed and excess water drained)
•500g ricotta (large tub)
•1 egg
•1/2 cup coarsely chopped flat leaf parsley
•3/4 cup of finely grated Parmesan *use ¼ cup for cheese topping
•salt and pepper
•1 x bottle of tomato Passata
•1/2 cup water
•3 cloves of garlic, crushed
•1/2 cup chopped basil leaves *save some leaves for decoration at the end
•1 cup of grated mozzarella
Method
- Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Grease your baking dish (I use a 35cm by 22cm).
- In a large bowl, mix together spinach, ricotta, egg, parsley and ½ cup of Parmesan (save the ¼ cup for the cheese on top), salt and pepper.
- Spoon your mixture onto the pasta sheets and fold the sheets over to enclose.
- Place your filled cannelloni next to each other in the dish as you go.
- If you’re using the pre-made tubes, use a tea spoon and fill them completely.
- To make the sauce, in a large bowl mix together the Passata, water, crushed garlic and basil. Pour it over your cannelloni and give the tray a little wobble to spread the sauce evenly around.
- Cover it with foil and place it in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
- Remove the foil and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and mozzarella cheese. Bake for another 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
- You can freeze this dish for up to 3 months.
