WildEats Spinach Cannelloni
Being a transplanted east coaster, who grew up in Italian neighborhoods I cherish the memories of preparing large amounts of labor-intensive dishes like lasagna, homemade sausage, butchering a whitetail deer or the end of the year harvest - tomato sauce. These gatherings would be a celebration of life and often involved many contributors. This was a time for nurturing community and utilizing the old adage, "together everyone achieves more." I miss those days....
Large quantities of “Cannelloni” are just such a dish - a little labor intensive but the perfect excuse to gather your friend and family for some culinary community building. Once assembled cannelloni are perfect for freezing and using at a later time, and a little goes a long way.
WildEats Spinach Cannelloni
yields about 30 -5-inch cannelloni
meat component
4 lbs ground beef, veal, pork or wild game meat (wild turkey, my favorite)
1 med yellow onion, small dice
4 celery stalks, small dice
1 tbsp fresh minced garlic
olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
5 tbsp Lemon Garlic and Sage Rub with fennel from WildEats
To cook: Heat a large sauté pan with some of the olive oil. Season the ground meat with salt, pepper and dry rub place a thin layer of the meat in the pan. Allow the meat to sit in the hot pan until its browned on the underside. Stir to brown the remaining meat. Add the garlic, celery and onions and continue to cook until the vegetables are tender. Remove from the pan to cool and repeat until al the meat is finished. Cool down as quickly as possible. hold
spinach component
1 - 3 lb bag fresh spinach - sautéed, cooled, drained and rough chopped
1/2-cup olive oil,
2 tbsp fresh minced garlic
Sauté the spinach in the olive oil with garlic, salt and pepper to taste. Cool immediately after cooking - hold
binding component
4 lbs ricotta cheese
2 cups dried breadcrumbs
1 cup Regianno or Grana Padano Parmesan
6 eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp ground nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste
Fresh or frozen uncooked lasagna pasta sheets (10x8 inch) available in Gourmet markets (you can use dried sheets, but those need to be par cooked before assembly)
optional sauces
Marinara Sauce, homemade or store bought
Basil/oregano/marjorum pesto (optional)
Reggiano parmesan cream sauce (optional)
Once the meat and spinach are cooled place them into a large mixing bowl. To that add all the ingredients in the binding component. Mix well, adjust the seasoning.
To Assemble:
Lay out the pasta dough sheets on a clean table with the long edge going left to right. Cut the dough sheet in the middle - (red line).
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Take a large gallon Ziplock bag and fill it halfway with the meat mixture. Close the bag and cut a 1-inch diagonal in one of the corners. Pipe the mixture along the bottom of the dough sheet about one inch thick along the red line (brown section). Roll the mixture in the pasta dough to form a cylinder. Then cut the cylinders into five-inch lengths (blue line) .). Continue until the entire filling is finished. Lay the uncooked cannelloni on sheet pans and place into the freezer OR place a think layer or marinara on the bottom of a roasting pan. Arrange the cannelloni on top, leaving a little room in between each piece. Cover each cannelloni with a little more tomato sauce. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and place into a preheated 350°F oven for about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 5 minutes. You can garnish this dish with bechamel sauce, pesto, grated cheese, your favorite fresh herbs, toasted pine nuts or whatever your favorite addition might be.
The important thing is a dish like this not only is a great way to utilize your wild game meat but its an even better excuse to get together with the ones you love. ENJOY!
Chef John McGannon
WildEats.com
