Wash the courgettes and use a vegetable peeler to cut them into long, thin strips. Lay very moist strips on kitchen paper for a moment.
Wilt the spinach in a hot frying pan, then squeeze it out well and chop finely. That way the filling won't turn watery later.
Mix the spinach with the ricotta and some of the hard cheese. Season to taste with salt, pepper and a little nutmeg.
Lay the courgette strips out slightly overlapping, add a little of the ricotta mixture and roll them up carefully. Set the rolls snugly side by side in a baking dish.
Spread the passata around the cannelloni and sprinkle the rest of the hard cheese on top. Bake in the oven at 200 °C (180 °C fan) for 20–25 min, until everything is hot and the top is golden brown.
Let it rest briefly and serve hot. If you like, finish with a little olive oil and freshly ground pepper.
Good to know
When it's gently bubbling in the oven and the edges are turning golden brown, that's exactly my after-work dinner. Warm, uncomplicated and pleasantly light.
Swaps
Ricotta → cottage cheese (also provides protein) | hard cheese → vegetarian hard cheese made from sheep's milk (stronger flavour, similar protein content) | spinach → chard (also provides fibre and folate) | passata → plain chopped tomatoes (more texture, similar nutrients)
Allergens
Contains milk. Usually fine for children if mildly seasoned; in pregnancy, use pasteurised dairy products.
