RICOTTA CHICKEN BAKE RECIPES

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a pan, add 2 garlic cloves and sizzle for a few seconds, then tip in the tomatoes. Season, and bubble for 10-15 mins until reduced to a thick sauce. Microwave the spinach for 2 mins to wilt, or by tipping into a colander and pouring over a kettle full of hot water. When cool enough to handle, squeeze out as much liquid as you can, then roughly chop.
• Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Mix together the ricotta, spinach, a generous grating of nutmeg, the remaining crushed garlic and some salt and pepper. Spread the tomato sauce over the base of a shallow baking dish about 20cm x 30cm. Divide the spinach mixture between the pancakes, spreading it over half the surface. Fold each pancake in half, then in half again to make a triangle. Lay the pancakes on top of the sauce, scatter with the mozzarella and parmesan. Drizzle with a little more oil and bake for 15-20 mins until bubbling.

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Put the spinach and a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over a low heat. Add the nutmeg, season with sea salt and black pepper, cover and leave to sweat. Help the kids to stir it occasionally until the spinach has cooked down. Place in a bowl and set to one side to cool a little.
  2. Dice the onion and squash the garlic. In the same pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil and gently sweat the onion until soft.
  3. Scrunch in the tomatoes through your clean hands and add the garlic and bay leaf. Pick in a few basil leaves and grate in the zest of the lemon half, then let it gently simmer for 20 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Season with salt and pepper.
  4. Have the kids squeeze the moisture out of the spinach into the bowl. Place the spinach on a board so you can chop it up. Return the spinach to the liquid in the bowl.
  5. Beat the egg and grate 2 teaspoons of Parmesan cheese. Get the kids to stir the ricotta, egg and Parmesan into the spinach. Season to taste.
  6. Sit a piping bag in a jug, fold its edges over the rim, then spoon in the spinach mixture. Have the kids help pipe the mixture into the cannelloni tubes and lay them in a 20cm x 25cm oven dish.
  7. Spread the tomato sauce over the cannelloni. Pick the remaining basil leaves and scatter most of them over the tomato sauce. Slice the mozzarella and lay the slices on top, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and season.
  8. Place in the oven and cook for 35 to 40 minutes or till the top is golden and the pasta tender (if the top browns too fast, cover the dish with foil). Remove from the oven and let stand for a few minutes before serving with the remaining basil leaves.