spinach and ricotta canelloni

[andrea81]

I'm trying to get this reciepy right and have googled lots to try. The filling always ends up very dry and tasteless.

Does anyone have any ideas? I'm usually very good with italian dishes, but this has got me stumped!

P.s. sorry for spelling, i've been around 3year olds all day and my brain is mush!

[Bathsheba]

It's my favourite andrea! But I get mine ready made from Sainsbury's, so sorry, can't help! Good luck xx

[andrea81]

Bathsheba
I know it's fab, but I have to cut out MSG's in my diet as it makes me a bit sick and have been trying to do it myself, and the fact that I love to cook!

Cheers anyway x x

[Bathsheba]

Hi again andrea. I've had to go in my freezer now + read ingredients, (coz that's the sort of sad person I am!), + there's nothing dodgy in it! I am careful about E numbers, + nitrates- I never go shopping without my reading specs these days!
Good on you for diy! Bath x

[Brooksy]

wash & drain spinach,stir for 2 or 3 mins in melted butter to evaporate any water left. Remove from heat, stir in Ricotta (& some grated parmasan & choipped ham is nice too) nutmeg, pepper, some salt. Beat in egg(s) & double cream to make a thick paste. The Canneloni is fast boiled for 10/12 mins, drained & allowed to cool. The sauce requires standard butter/flour roux, then gradually add milk stirring constantly. Bring to a simmer, pop in a bay leaf or 2,
some more nutmeg, pepper & salt, give it 5 mins.
The only way I get on with Canneloni is to use a piping bag to fill the flipping things! Anyway, put some of the sauce in your baking dish,pop tubes on top & pour over rest of sauce & sprinkle some more parmesan on top. Needs 35-45 mins @ 190/gm5. If that`s still not tasty enough for you experiment with basil, parsley, sage, thyme or oregano either on their own or combinations. Bon appetite!

[andrea81]

Cheers all, I have got the ingredience and trying it out tonight. I will let you know!

x x x x x x x x

[thugulike]

Cheapo version. Pour boiling water over spinach in colander and drain. Squeeze all the qater from the spinach. and chop Take 1 pack cottage cheese, 1 pack cream cheese, freshly grated parmesan to taste, good handful of toasted pine nuts, sultanas and ground black pepper. Mix together in bowl and stuff the cannelloni. I buy all the ingedients in Aldi and have refined this recipe from an original which had ricotta and mascapone. I can taste no difference between the cheapo version and the very expensive one. I then mix cream cheese into mashed tinned tomatoes for the sauce to go over the top.

[andrea81]

Just came on to say that I tried it last night and it was blinking fab (if I say so myself).

In the end, I just did a basic tomato sauce for the bottom. wilted spinach with butter and drained. Made a roux but added soft cheese and the chopped spinach (sloppy consistency) and seasoned well. Filled my canelloni tubes and put a basic chedder cheese sauce over top!

Thanks all for your suggestions, I'm a very pleased pregnant lady!

[Brooksy]

I shall definitely try your version thugulike!