Cannelloni with Spinach and Cheese in Béchamel Sauce
Main Dishes • Italian
Description
Cannelloni with spinach and cheese in béchamel sauce.
Ingredients
- Conchiglie Pasta 8 pieces
- Parmesan Cheese 0 oz
- Pistachios to taste
- Melted Cheese 5 oz
- Milk 15 fl oz
- Butter 5 oz
- 10% cream 5 fl oz
- Wheat Flour 1½ spoons
- Salt 1⅕ spoons
- Nutmeg 1⅕ spoons
- Spinach 20 oz
- Ground Black Pepper to taste
- Adyghe cheese 5 oz
- Basil to taste
Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1
First, you need to prepare the creamy béchamel sauce. For this, melt the butter in a saucepan or pot with a heavy bottom over low heat. Gradually add the sifted flour while stirring continuously to avoid lumps. Cook for about a minute until the mixture turns golden in color. Slowly 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 stir in the cream and bring it back to a boil. Cook for a few more minutes until the sauce reaches a consistency similar to that of slightly thick sour cream (if desired, you can make a classic béchamel sauce that doesn't include cream. In this case, use 700 ml of milk. The sauce for the cannelloni should be slightly less thick than usual so that it can properly soak the dry tubes while baking in the oven).
Step 2
Cover the prepared sauce with a lid to prevent it from drying out while you prepare the filling for the spinach and cheese cannelloni. Grate the mozzarella cheese and crumble the Adyghe cheese by hand. Wash the spinach, dry it, and chop it roughly. In a skillet, melt the butter, add the spinach, and sauté for 2–3 minutes until it wilts and darkens in color (this step is essential because if you add fresh spinach directly to the filling, it will cook in the oven, but the volume of the filling will significantly decrease, resulting in half-empty cannelloni).
Step 3
Place the sautéed spinach in a sieve to drain any excess liquid, then chop it finely. Mix the two types of cheese with the spinach, add finely chopped basil, black pepper, and a few tablespoons of béchamel sauce, and stir well. Taste for salt. If the cheese is not salty enough, adjust the seasoning of the cannelloni filling.
Step 4
Preheat the oven to 355°F. Stuff the dry cannelloni pasta tightly with a filling of cheese and spinach (it's convenient to do this using a piping bag or a syringe without a nozzle: the wide opening allows the filling to pass easily and fill the tubes evenly).
Step 5
Pour a few spoonfuls of béchamel sauce into the bottom of a baking dish and spread it evenly with a spoon. Arrange the cheese and spinach stuffed cannelloni in a row and drizzle with the remaining cream sauce. Place in the oven for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, grate the remaining mozzarella and parmesan. Once the cannelloni are partially cooked, sprinkle with cheese and pine nuts, and bake in the oven for another 10-15 minutes until a delicious golden crust forms.
Step 6
Serve the oven-baked cannelloni with cheese and spinach topped with béchamel sauce hot, 2–3 pieces per serving.
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