Across Italy · No.44 / 103
Spinach and ricotta cannelloni
Spinach and ricotta cannelloni
A cooled spinach-and-ricotta filling is piped onto rectangles of fresh egg pasta, rolled, covered with béchamel and Grana Padano, and baked.
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Meet the dish
Filled pasta tubes baked with spinach, ricotta, and béchamel
A broad sheet is rolled around the filling, so spinach and ricotta run evenly through every cut section. Béchamel protects the outside while high heat browns the cheese on top.
Pasta shapes to use
- Fresh 00-flour egg pasta rolled to about 2 mm and cut into 9 x 14 cm rectangles
Key ingredients
- Spinach
- Ricotta
- Egg
- Grana Padano
- Béchamel
- Nutmeg
Follow the cooking scenes
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Step 1: Prepare dough and filling
Knead the egg dough until smooth and rest for one hour. Cover and wilt spinach for about five minutes in garlic oil, cool and chop it, then combine with ricotta, egg, cheese, and nutmeg and chill.
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Step 2: Blanch, fill, and roll
Roll to about 2 mm, cut 9 x 14 cm rectangles, and blanch each for about one minute. Cool flat on a cloth, pipe filling through the center, roll, and arrange seam-side down over béchamel.
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Step 3: Bake in two stages
Cover the tubes with remaining béchamel and grated cheese. Bake at 200°C for about 15 minutes, then broil at 230°C for five minutes until golden.
What to watch for
- Cool the filling fully before piping; warm filling releases steam and makes the pasta prone to tearing.
- Keep blanched rectangles separate and sauce every exposed edge so no part of the pasta hardens in the oven.
What sets it apart
Unlike layered lasagna or sealed ravioli, the spinach-and-ricotta filling is portioned into individual tubes and baked under béchamel.