The baked paccheri with ricotta and spinach are a quick alternative to cannelloni with ricotta and spinach, or they are fake cannelloni with ricotta and spinach.
I used the paccheri or rigati schiaffoni format which, once stuffed, look like small cannelloni.
I filled them with ricotta and spinach:
• I worked the ricotta without eggs;
• I used bagged spinach leaves already selected and cleaned, wilted them in a pan and added them finely chopped or minced.
Light and without béchamel [or try the fake béchamel].
I covered them with lots of tomato sauce.
The baked paccheri with ricotta and spinach or fake cannelloni with ricotta and spinach constitute a single dish as they concentrate the characteristics that distinguish a balanced meal into one course.
! no sugar style tip
The stuffed or filled pasta allows you to adhere to the portions of your dietary plan.
It’s a great solution when you have guests because it allows you to manage your meal peacefully eating like everyone else [remember: the table is for sharing].
• Weigh the paccheri corresponding to your portion;
• Weigh the ricotta corresponding to your portion;
distribute the ricotta and spinach cream in your paccheri.
If you are preparing them for guests, plan for a more abundant filling for them.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 2People
- Cooking methods: Boiling, Electric oven
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 160 g paccheri (rigati)
- tomato sauce (homemade)
- 1 pinch mixed peppercorns (with grinder)
- to taste ground cinnamon
- 200 g spinach (leafy)
- 160 g ricotta
- 1 pinch salt
- to taste marjoram (or cinnamon or nutmeg)
- to taste grated cheese (grana or parmesan)
Suggested Tools
- 1 Colander
- 1 Bowl
- Piping bag disposable
- 1 Baking dish
Preparation
Prepare plenty of tomato sauce.
You can use simple tomato sauce or prepare an aromatic fake sauce by adding pepper and cinnamon to the tomato sauce.
Cook the paccheri very al dente so that they remain whole and easy to fill [they will be baked further].
I cooked them for exactly half the time indicated on the package.Drain them gently to avoid breaking.
Rinse them under running water so they cool down and let them drain well.! tip for large portions
Prepare a container with cold water and, when draining them to avoid breaking, gently remove them from the pot with a skimmer, immerse them in cold water, and transfer them to dry on a cutting board or a surface lined with parchment or aluminum.Wash the spinach thoroughly under running water.
Let them drain in a colander.
The residual water plus the water they release during cooking will allow you to sauté them without oil and without sticking to the bottom of the pan.Pour the spinach into a pan, over high heat for a few minutes, and stir repeatedly until they are evenly wilted.
Remove, drain, and squeeze the spinach.
Chop them finely or grind them to avoid issues with the ricotta and spinach cream coming out of the piping bag.Remove, drain, and squeeze the spinach*.
* if the ricotta is very firm do not squeeze them entirely to obtain a creamier mixture compensating for the absence of béchamel.Pour the ricotta into a bowl, season with:
• a pinch of salt;
• a pinch of pepper;
• marjoram or cinnamon or nutmeg;
and work it with a fork until smooth and creamy.Add the spinach to the ricotta and mix.
Transfer the ricotta and spinach cream into a piping bag [I used a disposable one].Prepare a baking dish.
Spread a thin layer of sauce or fake sauce on the bottom of the dish.Fill the paccheri distributing the ricotta and spinach cream and arrange them in a single layer.
Cover them with plenty of tomato sauce or fake sauce.
Finish with a sprinkle of grated cheese and grind a little more pepper.Briefly preheat the oven.
Bake at 356°F (180°C) in a ventilated oven for 15-20 minutes until a crispy crust forms on the surface.Serve.
Your baked paccheri with ricotta and spinach or fake cannelloni are ready.
Enjoy your meal!
You can replace the paccheri [or schiaffoni] with any dry pasta format suitable for stuffing, like conchiglioni or lumaconi.
I usually use whole wheat pasta, but when I decide to use regular pasta, I choose one that holds up well during cooking: al dente pasta has a lower glycemic index than well-cooked pasta.
In case of guests and many dishes to manage, for convenience, you can prepare your stuffed pasta in advance ready to be baked.
My trick, to prevent the surface from drying out when reheating pasta in the oven, is to distribute a few tablespoons of tomato sauce on the surface before reheating.
Notes
Hyperglycemia, prediabetes and diabetes.
You can find dedicated recipes here.
Remember:
• start the meal with a generous portion of vegetables [raw or cooked];
• a balanced meal should contain all nutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, fats & fibers;
• always prepare it respecting the proportions and food combinations indicated in your dietary plan.
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