Spinach Pasta Rolls with Tomato and Béchamel Sauce

Ingredients

• 300 g fresh spinach
• Salt
• 1 Shallot
• 1 Garlic clove
• 1 EL olive oil
• 200 g ricotta
• 1 egg
• 40 g freshly grated Parmesan
• pepper (ground)
• Nutmeg (freshly grated)
• olive oil (for foil)
• 600 g ripe tomatoes
• 1 onion
• 2 EL olive oil
• 100 ml Vegetable broth
• Salt
• pepper (ground)
• 1 tsp Dried oregano
• a pinch of sugar
• 1 EL Butter
• 1 EL flour
• 250 ml milk
• Salt
• pepper (ground)
• Nutmeg (freshly grated)
• 300 g flour
• Salt
• 3 eggs
• 1 EL olive oil
• flour (for work surface)

Instructions

1. 1.

   Mix the flour with a pinch of salt, place on the work surface, create a well and add the eggs, oil, and about 3 EL cold water. Knead into a smooth dough, shape into a ball, wrap in a damp kitchen towel, and let rest for 30 minutes.

2. 2.

   Wash, trim, and blanch the spinach in boiling salted water until wilted, drain, shock in cold water, squeeze out excess moisture, and roughly chop. Peel and finely chop the shallot and garlic, then sauté in hot olive oil until translucent. Remove from heat and cool.

3. 3.

   Whisk the ricotta with the egg until smooth, fold in the spinach, shallot mixture, and parmesan, seasoning heavily with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

4. 4.

   Divide the dough in half, roll each onto a floured surface into a rectangle, spread half of the spinach-ricotta filling over one. Roll up (about 5 cm diameter), wrap in oiled plastic wrap, then place in aluminum foil. Tuck the ends together like a candy wrapper. Repeat with remaining dough and filling, and simmer both rolls in boiling water for about 25 minutes.

5. 5.

   For the tomato sauce, blanch the tomatoes, shock, peel, quarter, core, and dice small. Peel and finely chop the onion, sauté in hot oil until translucent. Add tomatoes, cook briefly, pour in broth, and let simmer at medium heat for about 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, oregano, and sugar, then spread into a baking dish.

6. 6.

   For the béchamel, melt butter in a pot, whisk in flour, cook lightly, then slowly add milk while stirring. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until thickened, seasoning with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

7. 7.

   Preheat the oven to 220°C (Oven rack).

8. 8.

   Remove the roulades from water, unwrap, slice into about 3 cm wide pieces, place on tomato sauce, drizzle with béchamel, and bake in preheated oven for about 15 minutes until golden brown.

9. 9.

   Serve on warmed plates, garnished with chopped spring onions if desired.