Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • 300g fresh spinach
  • 1 medium onion
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • 1.5 tsp of minced garlic
  • ¾ tsp salt
  • 1 tub of ricotta cheese
  • 80g hard cheese (vegetarian option available from Tesco)
  • 18 lasagne sheets (you may need more/less depending on the size of your dish)
  • 150g grated cheddar
For the tomato sauce:
  • 1 cup of passata
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp thyme
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • ½ tsp salt
Method
  1. Wash the spinach leaves in water several times to remove any soil and allow to drain.
  2. Peel and dice one medium sized onion.
  3. Roughly chop the drained spinach.
  4. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a large frying pan, once hot add 1.5 tsp of minced garlic.
  5. Once the garlic is brown add the diced onion and allow to saute....
  6. till the onions are a light brown colour.
  7. Next add ¾ tsp of salt, followed by the chopped spinach and allow the spinach to cook until all the moisture has evaporated and the spinach is almost dry.
  8. Once cooked, leave the spinach to cool to one side.
  9. In a large saucepan bring to boil a pot of water, add a splash of oil and ½ tsp salt too.
  10. When you have a rolling boil (the water is rapidly boiling and bubbling), add the lasagne sheets and USE A TIMER to boil them for 1.5 minutes - if you boil them for too long they will lose their shape and the cannelloni won't hold it's shape.
  11. Boil them in 2 batches to stop them sticking together.
  12. Once the time is up, promptly remove the lasagne sheets, drain and then place them on a clean tea towel - this step is important as otherwise the sheets will stick together once they start to cool down.
  13. Transfer the cooked spinach to a large bowl.
  14. Add the ricotta, along with 80g of hard cheese and mix together.
  15. Leave to one side till needed.
  16. Next prepare the tomato sauce needed for the recipe.
  17. Measure 1 cup of passata into a small bowl.
  18. Add 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp thyme, 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp sugar and ½ tsp salt. Mix the ingredients together.
  19. When you start to assemble the cannelloni, select a dish that can neatly hold three rows - my dish about measured 20 x 30 cm and neatly held three rows of the lasagne sheets.
  20. Take a generous amount of the tomato sauce made earlier and spread over the base of the dish.
  21. Lay flat a cooked lasagne sheet and add some of the mixture (it's a good idea to try and divide the mixture into 18 portions to make filling the sheets even), then slowly roll the sheet up.
  22. Once you've rolled the sheet up place the seam of the pastry bottom down, into the dish.
  23. Continue rolling the cannelloni up and placing them into the dish, till it's full.
  24. Once all the cannelloni are all in, take the tomato sauce and spread sauce over the top.
  25. Finish by sprinkling a generous amount of grated cheddar over the top and bake for 25 - 30 minutes in a pre heated oven at gas mark 6 (200 degrees Celsius electric, 180 degrees Celsius fan assisted).
  26. The cannelloni is ready when the cheese has melted and is golden on top.
Recipe by www.afeliaskitchen.com at https://www.afeliaskitchen.com/spinach-and-ricotta-cannelloni/