Lamb, Spinach & Cottage Cheese Cannelloni

Serves 4-6

Time 1 hour

Ingredients

1 packet cannelloni 

Sauce

½ brown onion, diced

1 clove garlic 

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 

Salt & pepper

1 stem basil 

500ml red wine

400ml passata 

1 tbsp butter 

Filling

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 

½ brown onion, diced  

1 clove garlic, diced 

1 red chilli, chopped 

1 stem basil 

Salt & pepper

400g lamb mince 

1 kg baby spinach, blanched and liquid squeezed out, roughly chopped

200g cottage cheese

1 bunch basil, roughly chopped 

1 bunch parsley, roughly chopped 

Salt & pepper

½ cup mozzarella 

½ cup mozzarella, for topping

Method

Preheat your oven to 180C fan-forced. 

Sweat down onion, garlic and extra virgin olive oil in a hot frypan over medium heat. Add salt, pepper, basil, red wine, passata and butter. Allow to simmer while you prepare the filling.  

Add oil, onion, garlic and chilli to a hot pan over medium heat. Sweat for 2-3 minutes or until the onions begin to soften. Add basil leaves, salt, pepper and lamb. Use the back of a wooden spoon to break up the lamb as it cooks. Allow to cool. 

Mix cottage cheese, chopped spinach, basil, parsley, salt, pepper and mozzarella cheese together in a bow. Add the cooled lamb mixture to the cheese and stir through. Place the lamb and cheese mixture in a piping bag. Pipe into cannelloni shells, and place in a baking tray. Pour the sauce over the cannelloni and top with mozzarella cheese. Bake for 30-45 minutes or until the cannelloni is soft.