Cannelloni with spinach and cheese under béchamel sauce
3 servings
40 minutes
Cannelloni with spinach and cheese under béchamel sauce is a true embodiment of Italian culinary elegance. Tender pasta tubes soaked in velvety béchamel sauce are filled with a fragrant mixture of spinach and two types of cheese, creating a harmony of flavors and textures. The dish originates from classic Italian cuisine where pasta is not just food but an art form. The creamy sauce with a hint of nutmeg adds tenderness while the crispy crust of parmesan and pine nuts adds zest. Cannelloni is perfect for a festive dinner or family lunch, delighting with its rich flavor and appetizing appearance. They should be served hot, enjoying every spoonful of this delightful dish that embodies the warmth and soulfulness of an Italian feast.
1
First, you need to prepare the creamy béchamel sauce. For this, melt butter in a saucepan or pot with a thick bottom over low heat. Add sifted flour while continuously stirring to avoid lumps. Fry for about a minute until the mixture turns golden brown. Gradually pour in the milk while continuing to whisk the sauce. Bring to a boil and cook for 2-3 minutes. When the béchamel sauce starts to thicken, add nutmeg and salt, then add cream and bring back to a boil. Cook for a few minutes until the sauce reaches a consistency of not too thick sour cream (if desired, you can make classic béchamel sauce without cream; in this case, use 700 ml of milk. The sauce for cannelloni should be slightly less thick than usual so that it well-soaks the dry tubes while baking in the oven).
- Butter: 80 g
- Wheat flour: 1.5 tablespoon
- Milk: 500 ml
- Nutmeg: 1.2 teaspoon
- Salt: 1.2 teaspoon
- Cream 10%: 150 ml
2
Cover the prepared sauce with a lid to prevent it from drying out while preparing the filling for the spinach and cheese cannelloni. Grate the mozzarella and crumble the Adyghe cheese by hand. Wash the spinach, dry it, and chop it coarsely. Melt butter in a pan, add the spinach, and sauté for 2-3 minutes until it darkens and reduces in volume (this is essential, as if you add fresh spinach to the filling, it will cook in the oven, but the filling will significantly decrease, resulting in half-empty cannelloni).
- Mozzarella cheese: 200 g
- Adyghe cheese: 200 g
- Spinach: 500 g
- Butter: 80 g
3
Drain the stewed spinach in a sieve to let the liquid drip off, then chop it finely. Mix two types of cheese with the spinach, add finely chopped basil, black pepper, and a few tablespoons of béchamel sauce, and stir. Taste for salt. If the cheese was not salty enough, season the filling for the cannelloni.
- Spinach: 500 g
- Mozzarella cheese: 200 g
- Adyghe cheese: 200 g
- Basil: to taste
- Ground black pepper: to taste
- Salt: 1.2 teaspoon
- Parmesan cheese: 30 g
- Pine nuts: to taste
4
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Stuff the dry cannelloni pasta tightly with a filling of cheese and spinach (it's convenient to do this using a pastry bag or a syringe without a nozzle: the filling easily passes through the wide opening and fills the tubes well and evenly).
5
Pour a few spoonfuls of béchamel sauce at the bottom of the baking dish and spread it evenly with a spoon. Arrange the cheese and spinach stuffed cannelloni in a row and pour the remaining creamy sauce over them. Send to the oven for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, grate the remaining mozzarella and parmesan. Sprinkle the semi-cooked baked cannelloni with cheese and pine nuts, and cook in the oven for another 10-15 minutes to achieve an appetizing golden crust.
- Cannelloni pasta: 8 pieces
- Cream 10%: 150 ml
- Mozzarella cheese: 200 g
- Parmesan cheese: 30 g
- Pine nuts: to taste
6
Serve baked cannelloni with cheese and spinach under béchamel sauce hot, 2-3 pieces per serving.