Spinach & Ricotta Cannelloni

Ingredients

• 3 tbspolive oil
• 8 clovegarlic, chopped
• 3 tbspcaster sugar
• 2 tbspred wine vinegar
• 3 canchopped tomatoes, 3 × 400 g cans
• basil, leaves; added to tomato sauce
• 2 tubmascarpone, approximately 500 g total; for topping sauce
• 3 tbspmilk, for loosening mascarpone
• 1 kgspinach, fresh
• 100 gparmesan, for the spinach-ricotta filling
• 3 tubricotta, approximately 750 g total
• nutmeg
• 85 gparmesan, for the topping
• 2 piecemozzarella, sliced
• cannelloni tubes, approximately 24 tubes for this quantity of filling
• salt, to taste
• black pepper, to taste

Method

1. 1

   Make the tomato sauce: heat the olive oil in a large pan and fry the garlic for 1 minute. Add the caster sugar, red wine vinegar, chopped tomatoes and seasoning. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thick. Stir in the basil. Divide between 2 or more shallow ovenproof dishes.

2. 2

   Make the topping sauce: beat the mascarpone with the milk until smooth. Season and set aside.

3. 3

   Wilt the spinach by placing it in a colander and pouring over a kettle of boiling water (do in batches). Once cool enough to handle, squeeze out the excess water thoroughly. Roughly chop and mix in a large bowl with 100 g Parmesan and the ricotta. Season well with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

4. 4

   Heat oven to 200°C (180°C fan/gas 6). Using a piping bag or a food bag with the corner snipped off, fill the cannelloni tubes with the spinach and ricotta mixture. Lay the tubes side by side over the tomato sauce.

5. 5

   Spoon the mascarpone sauce over the top. Scatter with the remaining 85 g Parmesan and the sliced mozzarella.

6. 6

   Bake for 30–35 minutes until golden and bubbling. Remove from the oven and rest for 5 minutes before serving.