Baked pasta stuffed with fresh cheese and spinach

Pasta al forno ripiena di formaggio fresco e spinaci

Fresh pasta cannelloni filled with ricotta and spinach, with béchamel sauce and Grana Padano.

110 min

8 servings

Medium

Average

A baked pasta filled with fresh egg pasta Homemade spinach and ricotta. The dough, made with (3.53 oz) 100 g of flour and (1.94 oz) 55 g of eggs, is worked until elastic and left to rest for an hour. The spinach is cooked briefly, well squeezed and mixed with (5.29 oz) 150 g of ricotta, 1 egg and (1.76 oz) 50 g of Grana Padano for a smooth filling. The preparation also includes a cooked béchamel sauce flavored with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. The sheets of pasta, cut into rectangles, are blanch, stuffed and rolled; the baking pan It is completed with béchamel and cheese, then baked until gratinated for a creamy and golden result.

Instructions

Voice reading

8 steps · natural Italian voice

Prepare the egg dough

Pour 100g (3.53 oz) of flour into a bowl, add 55g (1.94 oz) of lightly beaten eggs. Knead until you get a smooth dough. a mixture homogeneous, smooth and elastic; the mixture must be compact and without lumps.

Resting the dough

Shape the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for about 1 hour to relax the gluten and make it easier to roll out.

Cook the spinach

Cook 250g of spinach (8.82 oz) with a pinch of salt and the lid on for about 5 minutes, until soft. Let cool and squeeze out any remaining water.

Prepare the béchamel sauce

Heat the milk, add the béchamel base, and stir constantly; season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Cook for 5–6 minutes. over medium heat until the sauce coats the spoon.

Prepare the filling

Combine the drained spinach with (5.29 oz) 150 g ricotta, 1 medium egg and (1.76 oz) 50 g Grana Padano grated. Season with salt to taste, pepper and nutmeg, work until you get a mixture homogeneous.

Roll out and cut the sheets

Take the dough, roll it out into thin sheets and cut out rectangles of approximately 9×(5.51 in) 14 cm (or depending on the baking pan). Keep the surface floured to avoid sticking.

Blanch and fill the pastry sheets

Immerse each rectangle in hot water for ~1 minute to blanch them; pat them dry slightly. Use a piping bag to pipe about 100 g (3.53 oz) of filling into the center and roll into a cylinder.

Compose and finish

Arrange the cannelloni in baking pan, distribute two on each tablespoons generous amount of béchamel sauce and a sprinkling of Grana Padano. Bake until the surface is nicely browned and steaming hot.

Chef's Tips

Squeeze the spinach while still warm to remove excess water and obtain a compact filling. Weighing approximately 100 g (3.53 oz) of filling per sheet ensures uniform portions. Letting the dough rest for an hour, wrapped, limits shrinkage during cooking. Blanch The pastry sheets should only be left to rest for a minute to prevent them from becoming too soft. Using a piping bag makes dosing easier and keeps the filling even.