Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni
Spinach and ricotta cannelloni made with a simple tomato, basil sauce and topped with melting mozzarella cheese.
Spinach and ricotta cannelloni made with a simple tomato, basil sauce and topped with melting mozzarella cheese.
- salt and pepper
- 1 egg
- 2 cloves
- 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 shallot
- 2 tbsp parmesan (grated)
- 3 1/2 cups (700g) passata/pureed tomatoes
- 1 small bunch basil
- 12.3 oz (350g) ricotta cheese
- 8.8 oz (250g) raw fresh spinach
- 1 pinch of nutmeg
- 12 cannelloni pasta tubes
- 4.4 oz (125g) ball of mozzarella
- extra grating of parmesan
- Carbohydrate 1.493 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.436875000180918 g
- Fiber 0.0699999988079071 g
- Protein 0.215 g
- Saturated Fat 0.0605025000249811 g
- Serving Size 1 1 people (191g)
- Sodium 19.3785807291703 mg
- Sugar 1.42300000119209 g
- Trans Fat 0.0176993750048993 g
- Calories 10 calories
Step-by-step
- Ingredients : salt and pepper
- 1 egg
- 2 cloves
- 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 shallot
- 2 tbsp parmesan (grated)
- 3 1/2 cups (700g) passata/pureed tomatoes
- 1 small bunch basil
- 12.3 oz (350g) ricotta cheese
- 8.8 oz (250g) raw fresh spinach
- 1 pinch of nutmeg
- 12 cannelloni pasta tubes
- 4.4 oz (125g) ball of mozzarella
- extra grating of parmesan
Replacing fresh spinach with frozen leaf spinach drastically alters the moisture dynamics of the filling, requiring a thorough pressing through cheesecloth to extract excess water before mixing. Traditional baked pasta dishes originating from Emilia-Romagna rely on precise moisture management so the sauces adhere properly without diluting during the oven stage. Fresh pasta tubes or dried tubes both work, but dried cannelloni require sufficient liquid from the surrounding passata to hydrate fully while baking at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Ricotta cheese naturally holds an immense amount of whey. Suspending the ricotta in a fine-mesh sieve for thirty minutes removes excess liquid that would otherwise pool at the base of the baking dish. Blending the drained cheese with raw egg, grated parmesan, and a pinch of nutmeg creates a stable protein matrix that sets firmly when heated. Fold the wilted spinach into this dairy base gently to maintain an even distribution of green pockets throughout the tubes.
The passata acts as both a cooking medium and a flavor barrier. Pouring the puréed tomatoes generously across the bottom of the ceramic dish ensures the pasta has adequate moisture to soften. Arrange the stuffed tubes in a single layer rather than stacking them. Overlapping causes uneven softening, leaving certain sections hard while others turn mushy.
Tear the mozzarella ball into rough pieces instead of grating it. Large pieces melt into pools of rich fat rather than forming a tough, rubbery skin across the top of the dish. Bake uncovered for twenty minutes until the tomato sauce bubbles aggressively at the edges and the cheese develops golden-brown spots.
