Canneloni Flavor Over Spinach Fettuccine Recipes

SPINACH RICOTTA CANNELLONI

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and onion, cook for 2 - 3 minutes until translucent. Add tomato, water, salt and pepper.
• Stir, reduce heat to medium, simmer for 5 minutes. Optional: add 1/2 cup water and blend sauce until smooth (I do this for guests!).
• Stir through basil or dried herbs. Set aside.
• Place spinach in a colander and press out most of the liquid (don't need to thoroughly squeeze dry).
• Place Spinach in bowl with remaining Filling ingredients. Mix, taste, adjust salt and pepper to taste (different cheeses have different saltiness).
• Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
• Choose a baking pan which will comfortably fit about 20 cannelloni - mine is 21 x 26 cm / 8.5 x 10.5".
• Spread a bit of Sauce on the base.
• Transfer Filling to a piping bag with a large nozzle (that fits in the tubes), or use a strong ziplock bag. Or do this step using a knife (it's a bit tedious though!).
• Pipe the filling into the tubes. Place in baking dish.
• Pour over remaining Sauce, covering all the tubes. Cover with foil, then bake for 25 minutes.
• Remove foil, scatter over cheese. Return to oven for 10 minutes until cheese is melted.
• Serve, garnished with extra basil if desired.

GREEN CANNELONI STUFFED WITH RICOTTA CHEESE AND SPINACH

Steps:

• Cut pasta into 5-inch squares and parboil in water for a minute or a minute and a half. Transfer to a bowl of cold water. Spread in one layer over cloth towels. Make Bechamel Sauce: Melt butter, stir in flour and add milk slowly. Heat until mixture thickens. Set aside. Make Spinach: Parboil spinach leaves until just wilted. Drain. Cool and squeeze out moisture and chop. Saute 1/3 cup minced shallots in 2 tablespoons butter. Add parboiled spinach and saute gently until spinach has absorbed butter. Season with salt and pepper. Make Ricotta Filling: Blend ricotta cheese with parmesan. Add eggs and egg yolks and spinach filling. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. To assemble: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a large gratin dish or two smaller ones. (Canneloni are baked in a single layer, snuggly set-in but not overlapping). Spoon some filling down the center of a parboiled pasta square, spread to 1/2-inch of edges, roll up and transfer, seam side down to the gratin dish. Ladle Bechamel over top and sprinkle with 1/3 cup grated Parmesan. Dot with 4 tablespoons chilled cubed butter and bake on upper center rack of oven for 15 minutes or until bubbling. Let stand 15 minutes before serving. Can serve with extra grated Parmesan.

CANNELLONI WITH SPINACH AND MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Cook cannelloni tubes according to package direction; drain and set aside to cool.
• SAUCE--------------.
• In a medium size saucepan, heat olive oil on medium-high heat.
• Add chopped onion and saute' until just softened, about 4 minutes.
• Add chopped mushrooms and continue to saute' for another 3 minutes.
• Stir in tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, oregano, basil, parsley and water and bring to boil.
• Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• FILLING--------------.
• In another medium-size saucepan, melt margarine or butter on medium heat.
• Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute mixing continuously.
• DO NOT BURN OR LET THE FLOUR GO LUMPY.
• Gradually stir in milk and cook on medium heat, stirring continuously until a smooth and thick sauce is formed.
• Stir in Ricotta cheese and Parmesan cheese, and continue to cook until the cheese has melted.
• Remove from heat and stir in drained, chopped spinach, beaten egg, ground nutmeg and salt.
• Carefully stuff each pre-cooked cannelloni tube with spinach mixture using a small spoon; set aside.
• CAREFUL NOT TO SPLIT THE COOKED TUBES.
• Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.
• In a 9" x 9" oven-proof casserole dish, spoon 2/3 of the sauce mixture over the bottom.
• Place stuffed tubes in a single layer into the sauce.
• Spoon remainder of the sauce over the tubes.
• Sprinkle with grated Mozzarella cheese and grated Parmesan cheese.
• Tightly cover with aluminum foil; place in preheated 350 F oven and bake for 20 minutes.
• Remove aluminum foil and continue to bake for an additional 10 minutes or until sauce is bubbling and a nice golden crust forms.
• Serve hot.