Courgette, Aubergine and Spinach Cannelloni

  • Difficulty level : Easy
  • Type : Breakfast
  • Cuisine : French

The Betty Bossi Veggie Sheet Slicer creates wafer-thin sheets of courgette and aubergine to encase a delicious filling of ricotta, spinach and pine nuts – all finished off with a rich tomato sauce. It’s a great recipe for a meat-free treat, giving you five portions of vegetables to hit your daily target – in a very tasty way!

Ingredients

  • For the tomato sauce
  • 1 tbsp olive oil 
  • 1 onion finely chopped
  • 1 garlic clove crushed
  • 400g can of chopped tomatoes 
  • 1 tsp vegetable stock powder 
  • 1 tbsp tomato puree 
  • 1 tsp mixed dried herbs 
  • A few drops balsamic vinegar 
  • A pinch salt, sugar and pepper 
  • For the cannelloni
  • 250g bag spinach 
  • 2 medium courgettes 
  • 1 medium aubergine 
  • 250g tub ricotta cheese 
  • 20g pine nuts 
  • A portion salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese finely grated
  • 2 tbsp dried breadcrumbs (Panko are perfect) 

Method

  1. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and gently fry the red onion and garlic over a low heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring often. Add the tomatoes, stock powder, 100ml water, tomato purée and herbs. Simmer gently for about 10 minutes, until reduced and thickened. Season with the balsamic vinegar, salt, sugar and pepper. Set aside to cool a little.
  2. Preheat the oven to 210°C/Gas 7.
  3. Cook the spinach in a small amount of water for 3-4 minutes, until wilted. Drain thoroughly, squeezing out the excess moisture with the back of a spoon.
  4. Following the instructions for the Veggie Sheet Slicer, create vegetable sheets from the courgettes and aubergine. Lay 8 veggie sheets out on a work surface; your sheets need to be approximately 11 x 15cm (a bit like a pasta lasagna sheet) – you might need to overlap some of the veggie sheets slightly to make them this size.
  5. Spoon equal amounts of ricotta, spinach and pine nuts onto the vegetable sheets, placing at one narrow end. Season with salt and pepper, then roll up, like cannelloni. Transfer to a baking dish as you make them, creating two layers.
  6. Pour the tomato sauce over the vegetable cannelloni, spreading it out evenly. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs over the top. Transfer to the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, until golden brown. Allow to stand for 4-5 minutes, then serve.
  7. Tips: You could use either just courgettes or just aubergines if you’d rather. For vegans, substitute a 349g pack of silken tofu for the ricotta, draining it well and blitzing it in a blender before use, and omit the Parmesan cheese or substitute a vegan version.

By | 2 August 2019