Sun-dried Tomato, Mozzarella and Ricotta Cannelloni

 Sun-dried Tomato, Mozzarella and Ricotta Cannelloni

 

For Bechamel Sauce

150g butter

100g plain flour

600ml milk  

grated Parmesan

For Tomato Sauce

olive oil

1 small carrot, finely diced 

1 small celery stick, diced

400g tin of tomato passata

1 handful of basil leaves

1 clove garlic , crushed

For Cannelloni Filling

250g sun dried tomatoes, either dried or removed from oil and drained on paper towel

300g ricotta

1 egg , beaten

1 ball mozzarella, finely chopped into small dice

1 good handfull grated Parmesan

18 dried cannelloni tubes

 

 

 

Pre-heat your oven to 190 centigrade/gas mark 5.

 

In a large pan heat the butter gently, over a medium heat till melted, then add the flour, stirring all the time, then the milk. Stir until the béchamel sauce thickens then season.

For the tomato sauce, heat a good drizzle of olive oil in a large frying pan and add the garlic, cook for a few minutes without colouring. Add the carrot and celery and fry gently until softened slightly. Then add the tomato passata and basil leaves and simmer for 20 minutes.

For the filling, mix the sun dried tomatoes and ricotta with the egg and the Parmesan in a food processor till a chunky paste, then fold in the diced mozzarella. Season, then spoon it into the cannelloni tubes.

In a baking dish spoon some tomato sauce over the base of the dish then place your filled cannelloni tubes into the dish with a slight gap between each one. Spoon over the rest of the tomato sauce then spoon the bechamel sauce on top and sprinkle with grated parmesan.

Bake for 30-40 minutes till golden and bubbling.