If you are looking for a baked pasta that is much easier than making lasagna then you should check out this recipe for baked cannelloni. I use the no-boil pasta for this and it comes out perfect every time. With a filling of juicy sausage, creamy ricotta, and fresh spinach, it is decadent and rich. Add a layer of bechamel and you have a match made in heaven. It’s a great Sunday pasta or for a holiday.
Serves 6 as a first course
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
250 grams of cannelloni shells
1.5 liter of milk
200 grams of sausage
250 grams of ricotta
2 eggs
50 grams of cooked spinach
60 grams of butter
60 grams of flour
½ cup of grated parmesan cheese
¼ cup of parsley
1 teaspoon of grated nutmeg
1 bay leaf
Preparation:
Start out by removing the sausage from the casing and making patties with it. Heat a saute pan over medium high heat and add the patties of sausage. When they have a crust on the bottom turn them over and start breaking them apart with a spoon or spatula.
Once the sausage is cooked and crispy, add fresh spinach, finely chopped, to the pan and cook thoroughly. Add this to the sausage. Let the mixture cool. Once it is cool then add the mixture to the ricotta cheese along with the nutmeg and grated parmesan. Check for seasoning and add salt as needed.
Add the eggs and mix thoroughly.
In a small sauce pot over medium-low heat, melt the butter and then mix in the flour. Stir to incorporate and let the mixture fry a bit while stirring with a wooden spoon or spatula. After roughly 1 minute, add the milk in slowly. Whisk vigorously once all the milk is added making sure to get rid of any lumps.
Cook the bechamel over low heat for about 20 minutes stirring regularly with special attention to the bottom of the pot to prevent burning. Add the bay leaf. Once the bechamel is the same thickness as heavy whipping cream, turn off the heat and season with salt and pepper.
Coat the bottom of a casserole pan with about 2 cups of bechamel. To assemble the cannelloni, use a spoon or piping bag to fill the shells and place them side by side in the pan. Once they are all filled and in the pan, cover them with bechamel making sure they are completely covered. Place the tray, uncovered into a preheated oven at 375°F.
Bake them for about 40 minutes while checking to make sure the top doesn’t get burned. If they are taking on too much color, cover the pan with some aluminum foil.
