Spinach Cannelloni

This is a great weekend meal. It always takes me back to my childhood when I would order manicotti any time I spotted it on a menu.

For the tomato sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1/2 onion, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

For the spinach filling:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
1 lb frozen, cut spinach, defrosted
3 cups ricotta cheese
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 box cannelloni or manicotti pasta, cooked and drained according to the package directions or oven-ready

Assembly:
Make the tomato sauce first. Heat a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and onion. Sauté for a few minutes until the onions are soft and translucent. Add the tomatoes, oregano, red pepper flakes and sea salt. Turn the heat down to low and simmer while you make the filling. This is a good time to cook your pasta, too, if needed.

For the filling, heat a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and onions. Sauté for a few minutes and add the spinach. Sauté until most of the water from the spinach has evaporated. Remove from the heat. Transfer the spinach to a large mixing bowl. Add the ricotta and cheddar cheese, egg, nutmeg, garlic powder, sea salt and pepper. Mix well.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Pour just enough tomato sauce into a 9 x 13 baking dish to cover the bottom. Start filling the pasta. Place in a single layer.  Cover the top with the remaining tomato sauce. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil. Bake for about 30 minutes, or longer if using oven ready noodles.

Enjoy!