Preparation Time
1 hr - 1 hr and 30 minutes
Serves
4
Nutrition
n/a
Puree
Blend some of the chicken with cheese and sauce until smooth.
Finger Food
Let the cannelloni cool – it will set more solidly as it gets colder and then chop into pieces.
Ingredients
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2 tbsps olive oil
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500 g (1 lb) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, finely chopped or minced
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2 leeks, trimmed, cleaned and diced
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500 ml (17 fl oz) passata
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6 tbsps chopped mixed herbs, such as parsley, chives, sage, marjoram and dill
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1 tsp fennel seeds
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250 g (8 oz) ricotta cheese
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Finely grated rind of 1 lemon
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1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
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1 tsp paprika
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100 g (31/2 oz) frozen leaf spinach, defrosted
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75 g (3 oz) sun-dried tomatoes (not in oil), chopped
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250 g (8 oz) wholemeal cannelloni
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2–3 tbsps finely grated Parmesan cheese
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Sea salt and black pepper
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Green salad, to serve
A comforting, cheesy pasta dish made with wholemeal cannelloni, to ensure your blood sugar levels stay constant
Heat half the oil in a large, nonstick frying pan over a medium-high heat, add the chicken and cook for 3–4 minutes or until browned, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat, add the leeks and cook for a further 3–4 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the passata in a saucepan over a medium heat and stir in one-third of the chopped herbs, the fennel seeds and the remaining oil. Bring to the boil, season to taste, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 2–3 minutes.
Remove the chicken from the heat and stir in the ricotta, the remaining chopped herbs, the lemon rind, nutmeg, paprika, spinach and sun-dried tomatoes. Season to taste. Stand the cannelloni tubes upright and use a spoon to fill them with the ricotta mixture.
Spoon half the passata over the base of a shallow ovenproof dish. Arrange the filled pasta tubes, side by side, in the dish in one closely fitting layer. Pour the remaining passata over the top of the cannelloni, then sprinkle with the Parmesan.
Place in a preheated oven, 180C, Gas Mark 4, for 35–40 minutes until bubbling. Serve hot with a crisp green salad.