Ricotta and spinach baked cannelloni

• active time: 30 minutes
• total time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

10 oz ricotta cheese

14 oz spinach

1 onion

1 clove garlic

1 lemon

¾ cup tomato purée (passata)

1 tbsp tomato paste

3 tbsp unsalted butter

2 tbsp flour

1 ¼ cups whole milk

6 fresh lasagna noodles

1 ½ oz Parmesan cheese

4 ½ oz mozzarella cheese

salt

pepper

sugar

ground nutmeg

vegetable oil (for frying)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 200°C/390°F. Peel and finely dice onion and garlic and chop spinach. Heat some vegetable oil in a frying pan, add half of the onion and garlic and fry until translucent. Add spinach and sautè until just wilted, approx. 2 min. Remove from heat and drain in a sieve.

Juice the lemon. Heat some vegetable oil in another frying pan, fry the remaining onion and garlic, and deglaze with lemon juice. Add tomato purée and tomato paste and season with salt, pepper, and sugar to taste. Stir well and let simmer over medium-low heat until reduced.

For the béchamel sauce, melt butter in a saucepan. Whisk in flour and milk and stir lightly until creamy. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste. Meanwhile, transfer drained spinach to a bowl and add the ricotta. Mix well and season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste.

Grease the bottom of a baking dish and add tomato sauce and half of the béchamel sauce. Place some of the spinach and ricotta cheese mixture on a fresh lasagna sheet and carefully roll it together. Transfer the roll to the baking dish, seam side facing down. Repeat the process with the remaining lasagna sheets and spinach filling.

Cover the rolls with the rest of the béchamel sauce. Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan. Using your hands, break the mozzarella into smaller pieces and spread on top. Bake at 200°C/390°F for approx. 20 min. and allow to cool before serving. Enjoy!

Nutrition

• Calories: 663 cal
• Total Fat: 36 g
• Total Carbohydrate: 53 g
• Protein: 30 g