Cheesy pork, pumpkin and spinach cannelloni

ingredients

• Filling

  • 3-4 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 400 gram free-range pork mince
  • 1/4 cup white wine or verjuice
  • 6-8 fresh sage leaves, shredded
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt and grind of freshly ground black pepper
  • 300 gram spinach, roughly chopped
  • 50 gram Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 500 gram pumpkin, cooked and mashed
  • 2 fresh lasagne sheets, cut into four

• Sauce

  • 50 gram butter
  • 2 heaped tbsp flour
  • 2 cup milk
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
  • 1/4 cup white wine
  • 100 gram Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 4-5 basil leaves, for garnishing

method

• • 1

    Preheat oven to 180°C.

  • 2

    Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the onion until soft, then add the pork mince and cook until browned (I break it up with a fork as it cooks). Pour in the wine, sage leaves and seasoning, simmering for 5-6 minutes. Add the spinach and cover for 3-4 minutes until the spinach is wilted. Remove from the heat and combine the pork mixture with cheese and mashed pumpkin.

  • 3

    For the sauce, add butter to the saucepan and melt over medium heat. Mix in the flour and whisk to form a roux. Add the milk, bay leaf and seasonings, then simmer over a low to medium heat until thickened and is the consistency of smooth custard. Add the wine and half the cheese. Cook until the cheese melts.

  • 4

    Pour 1 cup of sauce into a medium-sized ovenproof dish.

  • 5

    Assemble the cannelloni by rolling a pasta square around half a cup of filling and placing seam-side down in the prepared dish. Repeat until you have a single layer of tubes to fill the dish. Cover with the remaining sauce and Parmesan cheese.

  • 6

    Bake for 40-45 minutes until the top is golden brown and bubbling (cover with foil if the pasta starts to dry out).

  • 7

    Garnish with basil leaves and serve with a simple green salad.

notes

• Serves 2-4.