Spinach, ricotta and salmon cannelloni

Loreto, from Sabores de Colores , offers us an easy way to prepare some really delicious salmon, spinach and ricotta cannelloni , which she cooks and presents in a skillet for a delicious preparation and an original presentation on the table.

Cannelloni and lasagna recipes, although a little tedious, are really helpful: they allow for all the variations you can think of and the best of all is that they always turn out well and everyone likes them.

I love preparing them in Le Creuset skillets , both the smaller ones and serving them as individual portions, and the larger ones if there are at least 4 diners who are going to enjoy the meal.

T&G Cutting Board with Painted Handle and Le Creuset Skillet Cast Iron Skillet

I know you'll tell me that it's a pain to prepare cannelloni. I admit that at home we use some that are already formed and with the help of a pastry bag they are ready in the blink of an eye. So if you get them, don't hesitate, they are a convenience and a perfect excuse to prepare cannelloni more often.

INGREDIENTS (for 4 people)

• 16 shaped cannelloni
• 250gr ricotta cheese
• 250gr fresh spinach
• 120g smoked salmon
• 3 tablespoons grated parmesan for the filling
• 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese for sprinkling
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
• 1 pinch nutmeg
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• 500 gr homemade tomato sauce

For a light bechamel:

• 50 gr virgin olive oil
• 100 gr flour
• 800 gr whole milk
• Salt
• Pepper
• Nutmeg

ELABORATION

1. In our Le Creuset skillet, heat two tablespoons of oil, brown the garlic, add the onion and sauté well. Next, add the spinach and tarragon, sauté for a few minutes. Remove to a plate and let cool.

2. While the spinach is cooling, in a bowl mix the ricotta cheese with three tablespoons of parmesan, the egg yolk and the finely chopped smoked salmon. Adjust the salt, pepper and nutmeg. Then chop the poached spinach and add it to the ricotta and mix well.

3. Once we have the filling ready, with the help of a pastry bag (I used a disposable one without a nozzle) we fill the pasta tubes and set them aside.

4. We take out our Le Creuset skillet and cover the bottom with tomato sauce, place the cannelloni on top and cover with the remaining sauce. We cover with silver foil and bake in the oven preheated to 200ºC for 15 minutes.

5. While the cannelloni are cooking in the oven, prepare the bechamel. To do this, heat the olive oil in a saucepan, add the flour and cook for about two minutes, then add the milk, stirring constantly with a whisk . Cook until thickened, adjust salt, pepper and nutmeg. Set aside.

6. Once the cannelloni have finished cooking, remove them from the oven, remove the foil, cover with the bechamel, sprinkle with parmesan and gratinate for 5 minutes or until the surface has turned golden.

7. Remove from the oven and serve hot.

NOTE: If you like your cannelloni covered in béchamel or just with béchamel or just with tomato sauce, they will be just as delicious. If you omit the tomato sauce, you would have to cover them with béchamel, cover the skillet with silver foil and cook as indicated in the recipe.

These spinach and salmon cannelloni are really delicious, and you will have already seen that they are not very complicated. So go for them, and then tell me who could resist dipping bread in them.

Loreto