minniet's Recipe

Delicious Beef Cannelloni

Category: Main Dish

10 cannelloni/manicotti shells
1 ½ cups ricotta cheese
2 oz freshly grated parmesan cheese
4 oz cream cheese, softened
5 handfuls of spinach (or 1 cup of chopped, wilted spinach)
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 egg yolks
Salt and pepper to taste
1 lb beef mince
1 jar of Prego Farmers’ Market Marinara Sauce (1.5 lbs / 680g)
⅓ cup chopped carrot (about 2 small carrots)
⅓ cup chopped celery (about 1 ½ stalks)
⅓ cup chopped onion
½ tbsp sugar
1 tsp cayenne pepper (reduce to ½ tsp if you prefer it mild)
Extra Parmesan to shave on top, and basil

(1) Add about one tbsp of oil into a saucepan and heat over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and saute to soften.

(2) Add the spinach and cook for a few minutes while mixing, until wilted. Add a generous pinch of salt. Place the spinach in a sieve over a bowl and set it aside to cool. Squeeze the liquid out of the spinach when it has cooled down.

(3) In the same saucepan, place 1 - 2 tbsp oil and heat over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, and carrot. Saute until onions and celery soften and turn translucent.

(4) Add the beef mince, cayenne pepper and cook with the onion, carrot and celery.

(5) Add Prego Farmers’ Market Marinara Sauce and let it simmer for 20 minutes. Set aside.

(6) Place the ricotta, parmesan cheese, cream cheese, egg yolks and wilted garlic spinach in a bowl.

(7) Mix until well combined. Add salt and pepper to taste. Trasnfer the filling into a piping bag.

(8) Place cannelloni / manicotti shells in a dish in a single layer. Cover the shells with boiling water and then cover the dish with foil and let it sit for 5 minutes. Drain.

(9) Preheat oven to 375°F.

(10) Spread a generous layer of bolognese sauce on the bottom of an oven-proof dish (that can hold 10 cannelloni shells)

(11) Fill the cannelloni shells with the ricotta and spinach mix using the piping bag, and place them on top of the bolognese sauce. Add more of the bolognese sauce on top and cover with fresh parmesan cheese.

(12) Cover the dish with foil or parchment paper and bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes.

(13) Uncover dish, increase heat to 425 and bake for a further 10 minutes until the cheese and pasta turn a golden brown on top.

(14) Serve with more parmesan and basil on top.