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Cannelloni with meat and spinach

17/11/2023

Here’s how to prepare delicious Italian-style meat and spinach cannelloni! This dish requires a combination of fresh pasta, a succulent filling of meat and spinach, and a creamy béchamel, all au gratin under a layer of parmesan.

Ingredients

  • Cannelloni, ready-made pasta or prepared fresh
  • 300 g of ground meat (beef or mixed)
  • 200 g of fresh or frozen spinach
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • 1 small onion
  • Extra virgin olive oil as needed
  • Salt and pepper
  • Nutmeg
  • 500 ml of béchamel
  • 100 g of grated parmesan cheese
  • Butter for the baking dish

Preparation

  1. Filling: Start by preparing the filling. Chop the onion and garlic and sauté them in a frying pan with a bit of extra virgin olive oil. Add the ground meat and cook until it is well browned. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

  2. Spinach: Meanwhile, clean and cook the spinach in boiling water (if using fresh) or defrost it in another pan (if using frozen). Once cooked, drain the spinach well and chop it finely, then add it to the meat, combining everything together. Add a pinch of nutmeg to enhance the flavor.

  3. Assembly: Take the cannelloni and stuff them with the meat and spinach mixture, then arrange them in a baking dish that has been previously buttered. If using fresh pasta, keep in mind that you might need to cook the sheets for a few minutes in boiling water before stuffing.

  4. Béchamel: Prepare a light béchamel sauce with milk, butter, flour, salt, and a sprinkle of nutmeg. It should not be too thick, to allow for proper coverage of the cannelloni in the dish. Pour the béchamel over the stuffed cannelloni and make sure they are completely covered.

  5. Au gratin: Sprinkle the grated parmesan cheese over the béchamel and place some small knobs of butter here and there to facilitate the browning.

  6. Cooking: Bake the cannelloni in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 30-40 minutes, until the surface becomes golden and crispy.

Serve the cannelloni hot, perhaps accompanied by a simple green salad to contrast the richness of the dish.

Trivia

Cannelloni is a traditional Italian dish widespread especially in central and southern Italy. They can be stuffed in many ways, with ricotta and spinach, mushrooms, and richer variations like this one that includes meat. They are ideal for holidays or special occasions, being a substantial and elegant dish.

Cannelloni with meat and spinach