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Cannelloni, Spinach and Ricotta recipe | Stuffed Pasta Tubes Indian style (with Spinach and Ricotta) |
Tarla Dalal
26 February, 2016
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Table of Content
Cannelloni, Spinach and Ricotta recipe | Stuffed Pasta Tubes Indian style (with Spinach and Ricotta) |
Crafting Exquisite Cannelloni with Spinach and Ricotta
This recipe for Cannelloni, Spinach and Ricotta creates a classic Italian dish that is both elegant and deeply satisfying. Unlike its close cousin, lasagna, cannelloni offers individual portions of tender pasta tubes generously filled with a rich and creamy mixture, then baked to perfection under a luscious white sauce and a blanket of melted cheese. It's a culinary endeavor that promises warmth, comfort, and a burst of fresh flavors, making it ideal for a special family meal or entertaining guests.
The Foundation: Preparing the Homemade Cannelloni Sheets
The journey to an authentic Cannelloni begins with the cannelloni sheets, ideally made from scratch using a fresh pasta dough recipe. After preparing the dough, it's divided into equal portions, each meticulously rolled into a thin, 150 mm (6-inch) diameter circle. These delicate pasta sheets are then gently cooked, one at a time, in a deep non-stick pan of boiling water with a touch of oil and salt for about two minutes. This quick blanching softens the pasta just enough to make it pliable for rolling. Immediately after cooking, they are transferred to a bowl of cold water to refresh and prevent overcooking, ensuring a perfect al dente texture once baked.
The Heart of the Dish: A Rich and Savory Filling
The soul of this Cannelloni lies in its vibrant and flavorful filling. It starts by melting butter in a broad non-stick pan, then sautéing aromatic chopped garlic and finely chopped spring onions (both whites and greens) for a couple of minutes until fragrant. To this base, sliced mushrooms and diagonally cut baby corn are added, sautéing further to develop their flavors. Finally, blanched spinach, fragrant dried oregano, a generous amount of fresh cream, and grated processed cheese are folded in with salt and pepper, cooked briefly to meld the flavors. This creates a creamy, savory, and subtly earthy filling that balances beautifully within the pasta.
The Velvety Embrace: Crafting the Silky White Sauce
No cannelloni is complete without a rich and velvety white sauce, also known as Béchamel. This recipe outlines a classic preparation: butter is melted in a broad non-stick pan, followed by the addition of plain flour (maida), which is cooked on a slow flame for 1 to 2 minutes while continuously stirring to form a roux. Gradually, milk is added to this roux, whisking constantly to prevent lumps, and the sauce is cooked on a medium flame for 3 to 4 minutes until it thickens to a smooth, creamy consistency. Finally, salt and pepper are stirred in, and the sauce is cooked for one more minute, ensuring a perfectly seasoned and luxurious topping. For an extra touch of richness, grated processed cheese or ricotta cheese can be incorporated into the sauce.
Assembling the Cannelloni: Rolling and Layering
With all components ready, the assembly of the cannelloni begins. The prepared filling is divided into equal portions. Each blanched cannelloni sheet is laid flat on a clean, dry surface. A portion of the savory filling is placed along one side of the sheet, and then the sheet is gently rolled up to form a neat cylindrical cannelloni. This process is repeated for all the remaining sheets, creating a row of perfectly filled pasta tubes. These filled cannelloni are then carefully arranged in a greased baking dish, ready for their final transformation.
Baking to Golden Perfection and Immediate Serving
The final step brings all the elements together in the oven. Once the cannelloni are neatly arranged in the baking dish, the rich prepared white sauce is poured evenly over them, ensuring every tube is generously coated. A final sprinkle of grated processed cheese goes on top, which will melt and turn golden during baking, creating a delicious crust. The dish is then baked in a pre-heated oven at 200°C (400°F) for 15 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld, the cheese to bubble and brown, and the pasta to become perfectly tender. The Cannelloni, Spinach and Ricotta is then served immediately, ensuring the cheese is molten and the dish is piping hot for the ultimate indulgent experience.
Tags
Preparation Time
30 Mins
Cooking Time
32 Mins
Total Time
62 Mins
Makes
5 servings
Ingredients
For The Cannelloni Sheets
1 recipe fresh pasta dough
1 tbsp oil
salt to taste
For The Filling
1 cup chopped and blanched spinach (palak)
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp chopped garlic (lehsun)
1/2 cup finely chopped spring onions (whites and greens)
1 cup sliced mushrooms (khumb)
1 cup baby corn , diagonally cut
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp fresh cream
salt and
1/4 cup grated processed cheese
For The White Sauce
1/4 cup grated processed cheese or ricotta cheese
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp plain flour (maida)
2 cups milk
salt and
Other Ingredients
2 tbsp grated processed cheese
Method
For the cannelloni sheets
- Divide the pasta dough into 10 equal portions.
Roll each portion of the dough into a 150 mm. (6”) diameter thin circle.
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- Boil enough water in a deep non-stick pan, add oil and salt and mix well.
Drop the prepared pasta sheet, one at a time, into the boiling water and cook each sheet for 2 minutes.
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Drain and transfer into a bowl of cold water to refresh.
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- Drain again and keep aside.
For the filling
Heat the butter in a broad non-stick pan, add the chopped garlic (lehsun) and finely chopped spring onions (whites and greens) and sauté on a medium flame for 2 minutes.
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Add the sliced mushrooms (khumb) and baby corn , diagonally cut and sauté on a medium flame for 3 minutes.
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Add the chopped and blanched spinach (palak), dried oregano, grated processed cheese, fresh cream, salt and pepper, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 1 minute. Keep aside.
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For the white sauce
Heat the butter in a broad non-stick pan.
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add the plain flour (maida).
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Cook on a slow flame for 1 to 2 minutes, while stirring continuously.
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Add the milk, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 3 to 4 minutes, or till the sauce thickens, while stirring continuously
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Add the salt and pepper.
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Mix well and cook on a medium flame for 1 more minute, while stirring occasionally. Keep aside.
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How to proceed
- Divide the filling into 2 equal portions.
Place a cooked cannelloni sheet on a clean, dry surface, put a portion of the filling on one side of the sheet.
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Roll it up gently.
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- Repeat step 2 to make 9 more cannelloni.
Place all the prepared cannelloni on a greased baking dish.
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Pour the prepared white sauce evenly over it. Sprinkle the grated processed cheese on top.
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Bake in a pre-heated oven at 200°c (400°f) for 15 minutes.
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Serve Cannelloni, Spinach and Ricotta recipe | Stuffed Pasta Tubes (with Spinach and Ricotta) immediately.
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Cannelloni, Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni recipe with step by step photos
Nutrient values (Abbrv)per plate
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Leena_Dhoot
March 23, 2021, 3:29 a.m.
I bought the cannelloni sheets and did the rest myself. Its gorgeous! Filled with baby corn, mushrooms, spinach and olives its a healthy and delicate dish! I savored it with family!
