Ingredients

• 10 pasta tubes (or lasagna sheets)
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 tbs dried oregano
• 400g - 14oz washed and dried baby spinach
• 500g - 18oz Ricotta cheese
• 80g - 3oz Parmesan cheese
• 100g - 3.5oz Mozzarella cheese
• 350g - 12oz passata or tomato purée
• 1 hand full of fresh basil (or flat leaf parsley)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Steps

• Step 1

  Pre heat your oven to 400°F – 200°C

• Step 2

  Boil a large pot of water. Add salt, once boiling.

• Step 3

  Place your pasta in boiling water and blanch for four minutes.

• Step 4

  Once cooked, drain and place in a bowl of cold water to stop cooking process. After 10 minutes, drain pasta.

• Step 5

  Place a frying pan on moderate heat and add olive oil.

• Step 6

  Using a garlic press or other, crush the garlic into the oil.

• Step 7

  Add the spinach (you can add half first, let it wilt down and then add the rest).

• Step 8

  Once nice and wilted, transfer the spinach to a chopping board and chop it quite finely.

• Step 9

  Place spinach in a mixing bowl.

• Step 10

  Add ricotta cheese.

• Step 11

  Season with salt and pepper.

• Step 12

  Grate two thirds of the Parmesan cheese into the mixture.

• Step 13

  Scrunch up the basil leaves and finely shred them using a knife. Add to mixture and mix well.

• Step 14

  Line the bottom of a baking dish using half the passata (tomato purée).

• Step 15

  If using a disposable pipping bag, cut off the tip with a knife or scissors, it should be small enough to fit in pasta tubes.

• Step 16

  Fold back the sides and add the mixture. Twist the top and squeeze bag until mixture reaches the end of the tip.

• Step 17

  Pick up a pasta tube and fill it by inserting the pipping bag tip and squeezing. Starting from the centre outwards. Spin it around and fill the other side filling up the whole tube.

• Step 18

  Place all the filled cannelloni tubes into the baking dish allowing a small space between each one.

• Step 19

  Sprinkle cannelloni with oregano.

• Step 20

  Add the remainder of the passata over the top and spread evenly to cover using the back of a spoon.

• Step 21

  Grate the mozzarella cheese and sprinkle enough to cover all the cannellonis.

• Step 22

  Add the remainder of Parmesan cheese by grating over the top.

• Step 23

  Cover with foil and bake at 400°F – 200°C for 30 minutes.

• Step 24

  After 20 minutes, remove the foil.

• Step 25

  Remove from oven when golden brown, leave to rest 10 minutes before serving.

Little Tips

For an even better taste, use my Napolitana sauce instead of passatta. (Buy it or See how to make it here)
You can also use lasagna sheets instead of tubes. Simply scoop out mixture with a spoon and roll them.
If you don't have a pipping back, you can still fill them with a small spoon.