Baked Cannelloni with Ricotta and Spinach
Cannelloni tubes filled with creamy ricotta and spinach, baked under a garlicky tomato sauce and a golden mozzarella crust. A comforting Italian dinner straight from the oven.
- Total
- 89 min
- Prep 25 · Cook 54 · Rest 10
- Serves
- 1
- Difficulty
- Medium
You'll practice: Seasoning in layers
- Savory
- Italian
- Oven
Instructions
-
Heat the oven to 200°C. Finely chop the garlic. Drain the canned tomatoes, keeping the thick pulp and discarding the thin liquid.
~8 min
Draining the tomatoes concentrates their flavor and prevents a watery sauce that would make the cannelloni soggy.
-
Put the spinach in a colander and press out as much water as you can with the back of a spoon, then chop it roughly. In the large bowl, mix the ricotta, spinach, half the chopped garlic, 1 tsp salt and the black pepper until evenly combined.
~10 min
Pressing the spinach dry prevents excess water from thinning the ricotta and making the filling runny.
Squeeze the spinach really dry: leftover water thins the ricotta and makes the filling run out of the tubes when you lift them.
Seasoning in layers Season each component, filling, base sauce, and topping, so the finished dish is well balanced. Taste as you go and adjust before baking.
-
Spread one third of the drained canned tomatoes over the base of the baking dish and stir in the remaining garlic, the olive oil and 0.5 tsp salt.
~4 min
Seasoning in layers Season each component, filling, base sauce, and topping, so the finished dish is well balanced. Taste as you go and adjust before baking.
-
Fill each cannelloni tube: push the ricotta and spinach mixture in from one end with a small spoon or your finger until the tube is full, then lay it in the dish. Repeat with all 12 tubes, packing them in a single snug layer.
~12 min
-
Spoon the rest of the canned tomatoes over the filled tubes so every one is coated. Tear the mozzarella into small pieces and scatter them over the top.
~5 min
Seasoning in layers Season each component, filling, base sauce, and topping, so the finished dish is well balanced. Taste as you go and adjust before baking.
-
Bake until the cannelloni tubes are tender when pierced with a knife, the sauce bubbles at the edges and the mozzarella is melted and golden in spots, 35 to 40 minutes.
~40 min
Baking until the tubes are tender and the sauce bubbles ensures the pasta is fully cooked and the flavors meld.
-
Take the dish from the oven and let it stand for 10 minutes so the filling firms up and the sauce settles before serving.
~10 min
Resting allows the filling to firm up and the sauce to thicken, so the cannelloni hold their shape when served.