Homemade Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni

Ingredients

• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 tbsp olive oil, for frying
• 2 cans chopped tomatoes
• 2 to 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 bunch fresh basil, chopped
• 400g fresh spinach
• 250g vegetarian ricotta
• 100g vegetarian Italian-style hard cheese
• 1 lemon
• 1 tsp olive oil, for filling
• salt and pepper, for seasoning
• 250g cannelloni tubes
• 2 balls vegetarian mozzarella

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C/356°F.
2. Start with tomato sauce. Chop 3 cloves of garlic. Fry in a pan until softening. Then pour in two tins of tomatoes. Add a splash of water to the tins to get all the leftover tomato off the sides, and pour that in. Pour in 2-3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, and then simmer that until it resembles a thick sauce. Add a handful of chopped basil, season with salt and pepper, and then remove from heat and set aside.
3. Filling time. Wilt all your spinach. Squeeze it so you get rid of any excess water, and then chop it up. Put in a bowl, and add your ricotta, half your Italian-style hard cheese (grated), the zest of a lemon, some salt, pepper and olive oil. Mix everything together.
4. Stuffing time. Spoon the filling into any bag with a corner. Cut a little hole in the corner, and then squeeze the filling into the cannelloni tubes. Line the tubes up in a baking dish.
5. Cover the stuffed tubes with tomato sauce. Top everything with slices of mozzarella. Grate the rest of the Italian-style hard cheese over the top.
6. Place in an oven for 30 minutes or until the cheese is golden.
7. Bish bosh bash. Done.