Spinach and Cheese Cannelloni with Roasted Tomato Sauce.

Spinach and Cheese Cannelloni with Roasted Tomato Sauce.

I like to cook Italian and making good spinach cannelloni is one of my favourites.

When making a good pasta recipe it can be very simple or very complex especially if you make your own noodles.

I like making the pasta sauce and filling from scratch. I find it very convenient when using a good packaged lasagna noodle like DeCecco because when they are par blanched they are easy to work with and have an acceptable taste like home made after being baked in a tomato sauce. Your time then can be spent on making a tasty salad.

I get my genuine Mediterranean deli items like buffalo mozzarella, ricotta and parmesan cheese from a good Italian Deli or at the Market. More selections of quality deli items make each of my Italian recipes taste authentic.

I am also able to pick up some hand made fresh pasta. I get lots of my pantry foods at the market’s and delis. Use a good premium canned tomatoes which may I suggest are fine tomatoes to use in any recipe when the fresh tomatoes are costly and inferior.

Once you set yourself a place to assemble the cannelloni here is what you will need;

Sauce   2 lbs. small vine-ripened roma tomatoes or whole skinless canned plum tomatoes

1 medium yellow onion, coarsely chopped

1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped

4 cloves garlic, halved

2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil

1 500 ml. can crushed tomatoes

1 tsp dried basil leave

1 tsp dried oregano

2 tbs good balsamic vinegar

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes [optional]

1 picante sausage meat [optional]

8 fresh basil leaves (medium sized), chopped for garnish

Directions.

Sauce   1. To make sauce, halve or quarter the tomatoes, depending on their size. Place tomatoes, onions, red pepper, and garlic on a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, sprinkle with some salt and freshly ground black pepper. Mix well using your hands. Roast vegetables at 450 degrees F for 45 minutes on middle oven rack. Remove vegetables from oven and let cool slightly. At this time, you can remove and discard any loose tomato skins.

2. Transfer vegetables to a food processor [or bowl use a blender stick] add crushed tomatoes, seasoning, and crushed red pepper flakes. Puree, stir in basil leaves. Taste and adjust seasonings add salt and pepper if needed.

Filling   2 cups ricotta cheese

1/2 cup packed freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1 large package of spinach finely chopped

1 egg beaten   ½ cup of fresh chopped basil

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper   Grated nutmeg to suite your taste

5 sheets fresh whole-grain lasagna noodles

1 ball buffalo mozzarella sliced

Filling   Blend and combine all filling ingredients in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Now reduce oven heat to 350 degrees and coat the bottom of baking dish with sauce (about 1/2 cup should do it).

Cut par cooked lasagna noodles in half cross-wise.

Working one at a time, place about 1/4 cup filling in the centre of noodle. Roll up tightly to enclose filling. Place seam-side down into the baking dish. Repeat with remaining noodles and filling.

Cover cannelloni with sauce and slices of buffalo mozzarella, sprinkle with some parmesan cheese. Bake for 30 minutes.

Move to top oven shelf and broil an additional 5 minutes to get a browned cheese crust.

Serve with a fresh garden salad and fresh bread.

thekitchenman.ca