What makes cannelloni with ricotta and spinach such an irresistible first course? Is it their genuine simplicity? The balance between homemade fresh pasta and soft filling?

The golden crust of delicious béchamel? Or maybe it's their home-s-tyle aroma, reminiscent of Sunday lunches of yesteryear?

We pondered this for a while, but couldn't pinpoint just one answer: all these elements are equally precious, making this recipe a timeless classic of Italian cuisine, beloved by young and old alike.

Ingredients

For the egg pasta (for 8 cannelloni)

- 100g 00 flour

- 1 medium egg (about 55g)

For the filling

- 250g spinach

- 150g ricotta cheese

- 1 medium egg

- 50g grated Grana Padano cheese

- 1 clove of garlic

- 1 pinch of nutmeg

- Olive oil

- Salt

- Black pepper

For the béchamel

- 500g whole milk

- 50g butter

- 37g 00 flour

- Nutmeg

- Salt

- Black pepper

For gratin

- Grated Grana Padano cheese

Preparation

To prepare cannelloni with ricotta and spinach, start by making the egg pasta.

1. Pour the flour into a bowl, reserving some.

2. Add the lightly beaten egg and knead the dough with your hands until the ingredients are combined.

3. Transfer the dough to a work surface and knead it, adding the reserved flour as needed.

4. You should get a smooth and elastic dough, shape it into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap, and let it rest for about 1 hour to acquire the right elasticity.

While the pasta dough is resting, prepare the spinach.

1. Heat oil in a pan, add garlic, let it brown, and remove it.

2. Add the washed and drained spinach.

3. Season with salt and cook covered for about 5 minutes until wilted.

4. Once cooked, let them cool.

Meanwhile, prepare the béchamel.

1. First, heat the milk.

2. Melt the butter in another pan, add the sifted flour, and mix quickly.

3. After a couple of minutes, you'll get a hazelnut-colored roux, remove from heat and slowly add the warm milk.

4. Stir continuously, season the béchamel with a pinch of salt, pepper, and a grating of nutmeg.

5. Continue to cook over moderate heat for 5-6 minutes until you get the desired thickness.

6. Transfer the béchamel to a glass bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside.

By now, the spinach should be cool.

1. Transfer the spinach to a cutting board and chop them roughly with a sharp utensil.

2. Place them in a large bowl, add the ricotta, mix with a fork, add the eggs, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and grated cheese. Mix well.

3. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag and refrigerate until ready to use.

Take your pasta dough.

1. It has rested and reached the right elasticity, divide it in half.

2. Roll out each piece of dough with a pasta machine up to number 8, or if you don't have a pasta machine, roll the dough by hand using a lightly floured rolling pin.

3. Cut out rectangles 9x14 cm, or adjust to fit your baking dish width.

4. Blanch each pasta rectangle for about 1 minute in lightly salted boiling water, then drain and place them individually on a tray lined with a kitchen towel without overlapping.

5. Place about 100g of filling in the center of each pasta rectangle with the piping bag.

6. Roll up the pasta to form cylinders.

7. Spread 2 generous tablespoons of béchamel on a 20x30 cm baking dish.

8. Arrange the cannelloni in the dish and cover them with the remaining béchamel sauce, spreading it evenly.

9. Sprinkle with grated cheese and bake in a preheated static oven at 200°C for 15 minutes.

10. Then switch to the grill mode at 230°C and bake for another 5 minutes until golden brown.

11. Serve the spinach cannelloni hot!

Storage and Tips

You can store the cannelloni with ricotta and spinach in the refrigerator for 1-2 days in an airtight container. You can freeze the cannelloni either raw, then thaw in the refrigerator and bake them; or cooked, then thaw in the refrigerator and reheat them in the oven.

For a more original filling, use Swiss chard or other greens instead of spinach, and for an even crunchier crust, sprinkle with grated Grana or Caciocavallo cheese.

Trivia

"Farewell Albina, I am sorry to give you great grief. But I have a sudden passion for can-nel-lo-ni. You must have cannelloni ready at every hour of the day and night. Cannelloni! Cannelloni! Thank you!" This was the note left by the poet Gabriele D'Annunzio to his cook, imploring her to cook him cannelloni often. Not even an aesthete like him could resist the rich goodness of such a succulent dish!