ArgentinianCanelones de verdura
Spinach and ricotta crêpe cannelloni
Canelones de verdura: Argentina's Sunday pancake cannelloni with chard and ricotta under white sauce and tomato
In Argentina, Sunday lunch at the nonna's house in Rosario or Buenos Aires often means canelones, a legacy of Italian immigrants made the Río de la Plata way: thin crêpes instead of pasta tubes, rolled around chard and ricotta, then baked under tomato sauce and béchamel. They are often served on the 29th of the month or for Christmas too. The common mistake is thick crêpes: they turn stodgy. The batter should be as thin as single cream and the pancakes almost see-through. Hard cheeses are usually made with animal rennet; use a vegetarian hard cheese if you prefer. Chef's tip: roll the canelones and chill them for an hour before saucing; they hold their shape better in the oven.
- Prep
- 50 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Serves
- 6
- Per serving
- 430 kcal
Ingredients
For the crêpes
- 5 ½ oz plain flour
- 3 eggs
- 1 ¾ cups milk
- ½ tsp salt
- ⅔ oz buttermelted, for the pan
For the filling
- 1 ¾ lb Swiss chard or spinachwashed
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onionfinely chopped
- 10 ½ oz ricotta
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp salt
For the sauces
- 2 cups tomato passata
- 2 garliccloves, crushed
- 1 ⅜ oz butter
- 1 ⅜ oz plain flour
- 2 cups milk
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Whisk 5 ½ oz plain flour, 3 eggs, 1 ¾ cups milk and ½ tsp salt to a smooth thin batter. Rest for 15 minutes.
Step 2: Heat a 20 cm non-stick pan over a medium heat, brush with ⅔ oz butter, pour in about 3 tbsp batter and swirl thin. Cook for 1 minute per side until set with light gold spots. Make about 12.
20 minStep 3: Wilt 1 ¾ lb Swiss chard or spinach in a large pan for 4 minutes, cool, squeeze dry and chop. Fry 1 onion in 1 tbsp olive oil for 6 minutes until soft and mix with the chard, 10 ½ oz ricotta, 1 oz grated Parmesan or vegetarian hard cheese, ¼ tsp ground nutmeg and ½ tsp salt.
10 minStep 4: Simmer 2 cups tomato passata with 2 garlic for 10 minutes until slightly thickened.
10 minStep 5: Melt 1 ⅜ oz butter, stir in 1 ⅜ oz plain flour for 1 minute, then whisk in 2 cups milk gradually. Simmer, stirring, for 5 minutes until it coats a spoon.
6 minStep 6: Heat the oven to 400°F. Spoon a line of filling along each crêpe and roll up. Spread half the tomato sauce in a baking dish and lay the canelones in it, seam down.
Step 7: Pour over the white sauce, then spoon the remaining tomato sauce in stripes and scatter with the rest of 1 oz grated Parmesan or vegetarian hard cheese.
Step 8: Bake for 25–30 minutes, until bubbling at the edges and golden on top. Rest for 10 minutes before serving.
30 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 430 kcal
- Protein
- 21 g
- Carbs
- 38 g
- Fat
- 21 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does canelones de verdura take?
- About 80 minutes in total: 50 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of eggs?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
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