Not only is this dish absolutely delicious, it is the perfect meal to get little one’s involved in the kitchen.

If you include children in the preparation of their meals, they are more likely to eat (at least try) the foods served to them. It is so important to educate children about ingredients. There are some worrying numbers out there, according to a survey completed by British Nutrition Foundation a third of primary school kids do not know where basic foods come from. Apparently fish fingers come from chickens!

Now, I can’t promise your kitchen will survive your little one helping you out, but you will have so much fun.

This isn’t a traditional recipe for spinach & ricotta cannelloni, it is my adaptation based on my personal preference.

Recipe fills 13 tubes.

INGREDIENTS

Ball of mozzarella

Box of Cannelloni Tubes

2 cloves of garlic finely chopped

Rapeseed Oil (olive is fine)

150g spinach, roughly chopped

Handful of basil leafs finely chopped

5-7 basil leafs kept whole

Juice of 1 lemon

2 x 250g tub of ricotta

1.5 tins chopped tomatoes (keep a tin for water)

1tbsp Italian seasoning

Pinch of salt and pepper

METHOD

Preheat oven to 160c (fan)

On a low heat splash some oil into a pan and fry off the garlic for 1min.

Add tinned tomatoes, 1 tin of water, Italian seasoning, 3 basil leaves, salt and pepper. Simmer for 5mins.

In a large bowl mix lemon juice, ricotta, chopped basil and spinach. 

Add mix to piping bag. 

Pipe mix into tubes and place into an oven proof dish. 

Pour tomato sauce over the tubes. Tear the mozzarella and place on the top. Add remaining bail leaves.

Cook in the oven for 20-25mins or until cooked.

For smaller fingers, chop the tubes into sections that they can grab with their hands.

Eat. Enjoy