Hearty Baked Cannelloni with Creamy Ricotta-Spinach Filling

Instructions

1. 11

   First, prepare the tomato sauce: Heat the olive oil in a saucepan. Sauté the chopped onion until translucent, then add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. Add the crushed tomatoes, dried oregano, a pinch of sugar, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly. Set aside.

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   While the sauce is simmering, prepare the spinach filling. Wash the fresh spinach thoroughly. Briefly blanch the spinach in boiling salted water for 1-2 minutes until wilted. Immediately drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Squeeze out as much excess water as possible from the spinach. Finely chop the spinach.

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   In a large bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, chopped spinach, grated Parmesan cheese, and the egg. Season with ground nutmeg, salt, and black pepper to taste. Mix everything well until you have a homogeneous filling.

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   Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce on the bottom of a large baking dish.

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   Carefully fill the cannelloni tubes with the ricotta-spinach mixture. You can use a piping bag without a nozzle or a small spoon for this. Arrange the filled cannelloni in a single layer in the baking dish over the tomato sauce.

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   Pour the remaining tomato sauce evenly over the filled cannelloni, making sure all the pasta tubes are covered to prevent them from drying out during baking. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese generously over the top.

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   Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the cannelloni are tender and the cheese is melted and golden brown. If the cheese starts to brown too quickly, you can cover the dish loosely with aluminum foil.

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   Remove the cannelloni from the oven and let them rest for a few minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh chopped basil.