Cannelloni (Manicotti)
Servings: 8 people
TOMATO SAUCE
- 2 tablespoons (2 tablespoons) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large (1 large) onion finely chopped
- 3 cloves (3 cloves) garlic pressed
- 49 ounces (1400 grams) tomato puree we use 2 glass bottles of Mutti tomato puree (passata) 24.5 ounces / 700 grams each.
- 2 cups (500 grams) water
- ¾ teaspoon (¾ teaspoon) salt or more to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon (⅛ teaspoon) black pepper
- 10 fresh (10 fresh) basil leaves + more for garnishing
FILLING
- 1 pound (500 grams) frozen spinach or 32 ounces / 1kg fresh spinach
- 1 pound (500 grams) ricotta whole-milk
- 1 cup (100 grams) parmesan finely grated
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) lemon zest grated
- ⅛ teaspoon (⅛ teaspoon) nutmeg grated
- ½ teaspoon (½ teaspoon) salt + black pepper to taste
OTHER INGREDIENTS
- 20 dried (20 dried) cannelloni tubes (8.8 ounces / 250 grams pack) or manicotti (see notes)
- 8 ounces (225 grams) mozzarella fresh, chopped into small dice
- ½ cup (30 grams) grated parmesan
TOMATO SAUCE
- Heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet. Add 1 large onion (chopped) and sauté on medium-low heat for 4 minutes.Add 3 cloves garlic (minced) and sauté one more minute. Stir often.Pour 49 ounces tomato puree, rinse the bottles with 2 cups water, and add that to the pan.Season with ¾ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon black pepper and simmer on medium-low heat for 20 minutes. Stir occasionally.Add in 10 fresh basil leaves (chopped), then taste and adjust for salt.
FILLING
- Thaw 1 pound frozen spinach in the microwave for 2 minutes at max power.Let cool down slightly, then squeeze out some, not all, of their water.In a food processor, add the spinach, 1 pound ricotta, 1 cup parmesan, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg, ½ teaspoon salt, and 2 twists black pepper.Pulse a few times without overmixing, then combine the ingredients with a spatula.
FILL THE CANNELLONI
- Preheat the oven to 350°F or 180°C.Arrange your piping bag into a tall container (like a mason jar), folding the top part over the container. With a spatula, fill it with the ricotta filling (you might have to work in batches).Spread a layer of tomato sauce on the bottom of your baking dish.Remove the piping bag from the tall container, twist the empty part to seal it, and grab it tight with your dominant hand.Fill about 20 dried cannelloni tubes from both sides until completely stuffed.Arrange tubes on the baking dish on a single layer.
BAKE
- Cover cannelloni tubes with the remaining tomato sauce.Top with 8 ounces mozzarella (chopped) and ½ cup grated parmesan.
- Cover with foil and bake in the center of the oven at 350°F or 180°C for 30 minutes.Remove the foil and bake for 10 -15 more minutes uncovered. In the last 5 minutes, you can use the grill to brown the cheese.
- Let the cannelloni cool and set for 10 minutes before cutting it into 6 – 8 pieces.Garnish with plenty of fresh basil and enjoy.
Nutritional information is an estimate for 1 serving of cannelloni out of 8 servings.
TIPS
Sauce: The sauce shouldn’t be too thick, as extra moisture is required to cook the dried cannelloni pasta.
Filling: You can also add all ingredients to a bowl and blend with an immersion blender or chop the spinach with a knife on a cutting board before mixing them with the other ingredients.
SUBSTITUTIONS
Cannelloni: We recommend using no-boil, ready-to-bake cannelloni pasta, which you can fill before cooking. You can find that written on the package. If you live in the US or Canada, you can substitute Manicotti for Cannelloni. Manicotti is the US cousin of Italian cannelloni, and while it is slightly different in size and shape (it’s thicker, pointy, egg-free, and with ridges), you can use it almost the same way. It’s possible, however, that Manicotti requires boiling first; double-check that on the label. You can substitute jumbo pasta shells or conchiglioni for cannelloni, stuff them, and cook them the same way.
Tomato puree or passata: Italian-imported tomato puree (USA-Canada) or tomato passata (Europe-UK-Australia) is often packaged in a glass bottle. It’s thick, rich, and more flavorful than canned tomatoes, and we recommend it for this recipe.
You can substitute crushed canned tomatoes for tomato puree, but in this case, you might need to add a teaspoon of sugar to balance the acidity. You can also use whole canned peeled tomatoes or San Marzano. In this case, you must blend the sauce before using it. Frozen spinach: You can substitute fresh spinach. In this case, cook the spinach in a pan first with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt for 5 minutes or until it wilts and releases most of its water. Let it cool down slightly before mixing it with the ricotta. You can also substitute chard or kale for spinach. Boil them first in lightly salted water; ensure they are very tender before you use them for the filling. Fresh mozzarella: We love using fresh fiordilatte mozzarella, chopped into small pieces, because it adds moisture, tastes better and melts better than shredded mozzarella. However, you can substitute shredded mozzarella for fresh. Ricotta: We recommend whole-milk ricotta for a richer flavor and creamier texture. Vegan: To make the recipe vegan, you can use non-dairy ricotta, parmesan, and meltable non-dairy cheese as the topping. Also, you can use manicotti instead of cannelloni, as they are often made without eggs. STORAGE Make ahead: Cannelloni is excellent for meal prep. If you make them ahead and refrigerate or freeze them, you’ll need to add an extra 1/2 cup of water to the tomato sauce because the pasta will absorb some as it sits in the fridge/freezer. Refrigerator: You can make cannelloni up to 24 hours ahead and keep it in the fridge wrapped in plastic before baking as instructed. Freezer: Wrap the casserole in plastic and freeze it before cooking. They keep for three months. Bake from frozen in a preheated oven at 350°F or 180°C, covered in foil for 40 minutes, and uncovered for 10 minutes.
You can substitute crushed canned tomatoes for tomato puree, but in this case, you might need to add a teaspoon of sugar to balance the acidity. You can also use whole canned peeled tomatoes or San Marzano. In this case, you must blend the sauce before using it. Frozen spinach: You can substitute fresh spinach. In this case, cook the spinach in a pan first with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt for 5 minutes or until it wilts and releases most of its water. Let it cool down slightly before mixing it with the ricotta. You can also substitute chard or kale for spinach. Boil them first in lightly salted water; ensure they are very tender before you use them for the filling. Fresh mozzarella: We love using fresh fiordilatte mozzarella, chopped into small pieces, because it adds moisture, tastes better and melts better than shredded mozzarella. However, you can substitute shredded mozzarella for fresh. Ricotta: We recommend whole-milk ricotta for a richer flavor and creamier texture. Vegan: To make the recipe vegan, you can use non-dairy ricotta, parmesan, and meltable non-dairy cheese as the topping. Also, you can use manicotti instead of cannelloni, as they are often made without eggs. STORAGE Make ahead: Cannelloni is excellent for meal prep. If you make them ahead and refrigerate or freeze them, you’ll need to add an extra 1/2 cup of water to the tomato sauce because the pasta will absorb some as it sits in the fridge/freezer. Refrigerator: You can make cannelloni up to 24 hours ahead and keep it in the fridge wrapped in plastic before baking as instructed. Freezer: Wrap the casserole in plastic and freeze it before cooking. They keep for three months. Bake from frozen in a preheated oven at 350°F or 180°C, covered in foil for 40 minutes, and uncovered for 10 minutes.
