Cannelloni with spinach, cottage cheese & almonds

Method

1. First prepare the béchamel: bring the milk to a boil.
2. In a separate pan, melt the butter over a gentle heat and add the flour, stirring well in order to prevent clumps from forming.
3. Once the milk is boiling, pour it over the butter mixture, stirring continuously.
4. Bring the béchamel to a boil, season with salt and pepper and set aside.
5. Cannelloni pre-cooking: bring plenty of salted water to a boil, add the cannelloni and cook for 3 minutes.
6. Drain and place on a flat surface, allowing them to cool.
7. Keep the Cannelloni separate from each other to prevent them from sticking. Do not rinse with cold water.
8. Prepare the filling: sauté the spinach in a non-stick pan with a little bit of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Cool down and chop.
9. In a mixer, blend the cottage cheese with the spinach, season with salt, pepper and nutmeg, add the egg, the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and stir well.
10. Using a piping bag, fill the cannelloni with the filling.
11. In in a large baking tray, pour half of the béchamel sauce and spread evenly.
12. Place the cannelloni on top of it and then cover with the remaining béchamel.
13. Sprinkle with sliced almonds.
14. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 20 minutes.
15. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Chef's tip

If you want to make a lighter béchamel, you can replace the butter with extra virgin olive oil and the milk with soy milk or any other non-dairy milk (spelt and oat work great, rice not so well since it's too skimmed).

Serving suggestion

Serve followed by a light main course, vegetable side-dishes or leafy salads.

Wine selection

Ripasso Valpolicella Superiore DOC, Dolcetto Monferrato DOC or Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG.

Family tip

Barilla Cannelloni can also be filled without pre-cooking. Just add a little more béchamel sauce and cook 10 minutes longer.

Dish history

Looking for a real, vegetarian alternative to lasagne? Then this recipe just might be what you are looking for! Cannelloni with spinach and cottage cheese is a typical well-known dish of the Italian tradition, even though the recipe can vary a bit from one region to the other. Thanks to its outstanding taste, Cannelloni make the perfect recipe for a Sunday lunch as well as for a holiday or any festive occasion. Your guests will just love it!