Vegetarian Cannelloni

“The availability of fresh pasta sheets and washed greens in the market make this easier than it might have been for our parents to make but still takes some time. The filling can be made ahead of time. I used home-made tomato sauce with a little chopped basil added, but you can of course use any store sauce.”

Katie Wetzel Murphy, Winery Ambassador and Family Partner

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

Filling
3 pounds chard, spinach or mixed greens, stems removed
2 cups ricotta
1 cup grated Parmesan and/or Romano cheese, plus a little extra for garnish
1/3 cup shallots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 Tbsp parsley, chopped, plus a little extra for garnish
4 eggs
Zest and juice of one lemon
Nutmeg, freshly ground
Salt and pepper to taste

Additional Ingredients
One package fresh cannelloni pasta sheets
2 – 3 cups Tomato or other sauce

Method of Preparation:
In a large pot, steam the greens over boiling water for around 8 minutes. When done, put in a colander lined with cheesecloth, and when cool enough, squeeze out all the liquid. Chop the greens and add them to a large bowl, then add the rest of the filling ingredients and mix very well.

Butter a 9×13 inch baking dish. Fill the cannelloni by laying 1/4 cup of filling on the pasta sheet, then roll it up. Place in the baking dish seam side down.

Preheat oven to 375°. Pour 2 cups of the tomato sauce over the cannelloni, then bake for 20 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before garnishing with parsley and a sprinkling of cheese.