Cannelloni with Spinach Filling

Ingredients

• 400 g cannelloni (pre-cooked, from package)
• 1 kg young spinach
• 0.5 bunch Parsley
• 100 g Ricotta
• olive oil (cold pressed)
• 500 g passata tomatoes (organic quality)
• 2 Garlic cloves
• 1 small onion
• 1 Carrot
• Salt
• Pepper (freshly ground)
• Nutmeg (freshly grated)
• 0.5 tsp cinnamon powder
• butter

Instructions

1. 1.

   Preheat the oven to 180°C fan. Wash, trim and place spinach in a large pot, letting it wilt on medium heat until it collapses. Then strain into a sieve, allow to drain well while reserving some liquid. Transfer to a cutting board and roughly chop. Mix spinach with ricotta (add 1–2 tbsp of reserved liquid if desired) and season with salt and pepper.

2. 2.

   Peel the garlic and halve lengthwise. Peel and finely dice the onion. Peel and mince the carrot. In a pot, heat 3 tbsp olive oil and sauté onion, garlic and carrot over gentle heat. Add passata tomatoes and 150 ml water, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 5–6 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, nutmeg and cinnamon.

3. 3.

   Line the bottom of a baking dish with butter shards and spread about one ladleful of tomato sauce on top. Fill cannelloni with spinach mixture and layer them in the dish. Spoon tomato sauce over each layer of cannelloni. Finish with more tomato sauce and cover with butter shards. Place the dish in the hot oven and bake for 30–35 minutes until done.

4. 4.

   Meanwhile, heat 3 tbsp oil in a small pan and fry parsley stems until crisp, then drain on kitchen paper and lightly salt them.

5. 5.

   Plate the cannelloni and serve immediately with fried parsley. Offer grated Parmesan or Pecorino on the side if desired.