Spinach & Ricotta Cannelloni
- 400 g spinach
- olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 2 x 400 g tins diced plum tomatoes
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 a bunch of fresh basil (15g)
- 1/2 a lemon
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons Parmesan cheese
- 250 g ricotta
- 150 g cannelloni or manicotti, about 14 tubes
- 250g mozzarella, grated
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Put the spinach and a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over a low heat. Add the nutmeg, season with sea salt and black pepper and cover until spinach has cooked down, stirring occasionally. Remove to a bowl and set to one side.
Heat a drizzle of olive oil in pan and cook diced onion until soft. Add diced tomatoes, garlic and bay leaf. Sprinkle in a few basil leaves and grate in the zest of the lemon half, then let it simmer for 20 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Season with salt and pepper.
While sauce is cooking, stir together egg, ricotta, and Parmesan cheese then add to spinach. Season to taste. Fill cannelloni tubes and lay them in a 20cm x 25cm oven dish.
Spread the tomato sauce over the cannelloni. Scatter more basil leaves over the tomato sauce. Top with grated mozzarella and drizzle with olive oil.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or till the top is golden and the pasta tender (if the top browns too fast, cover the dish with foil). Remove from the oven and let stand for a few minutes before serving with the remaining basil leaves.