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Mini Meatball Cannelloni with Spinach Mascarpone

These Mini Meatball Cannelloni are packed to gills with a creamy, spinach-flecked mascarpone filling punctuated with mini beef meatballs. Baked on a bed of cozy red sauce, this surprisingly gorgeous casserole delivers cozy comfort like no other dish.
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Servings: 4
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian
Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

Mini Meatballs
  • 454g (1lb) lean ground beef
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1 orange zest of
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tbsp breadcrumbs
  • 1 tbsp fresh basil chiffonade
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
My Favorite Red Sauce
  • 1 yellow onion diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 tsp chili flakes
  • 1/2 cup dry white or rose wine
  • 1 can whole tomatoes
  • 1 tsp granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 sprig fresh basil
  • 1 Parmesan rind optional
Mascarpone Spinach Filling
  • 140g (5oz) baby spinach
  • 475g (17oz) mascarpone cheese
  • 170g (6oz) mozzarella cheese shredded
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1 orange juice of
  • 1 tsp salt
To Assemble
  • 250g (9oz) dried cannelloni
  • 170g (6oz) mozzarella cheese shredded
  • 2 tbsp breadcrumbs
  • 1 tbsp fresh flat leaf parsley finely chopped

Equipment

  • 1 Large, deep skillet
  • 1 7x11 Casserole dish
  • 1 Food Processor
  • 1 Large pot
  • 1 piping bag
  • 1 large round piping tip

Method
 

For the Meatballs
  1. Place all ingredients except the oil in a medium-sized bowl and combine with a clean hand until very well integrated.
    454g (1lb) lean ground beef, 1 clove garlic, 1 orange , 1 large egg, 2 tbsp breadcrumbs, 1 tbsp fresh basil, 1 tsp fennel seeds, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  2. Form the mixture into mini meatballs using a 1/2 teaspoon measure as a guide.
  3. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat until simmering. Working in batches, fry all the meatballs until well browned. Set aside.
    2 tbsp olive oil
For the Red Sauce
  1. Return the skillet to the stove and place it over high heat. Once the fat from the meatballs is bubbling, reduce the heat to medium-low and add the onions. Add a pinch of salt and sweat the onions for 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and saute until fragrant. Add the crushed red pepper flakes and saute for 30 seconds.
    1 yellow onion, 3 cloves garlic, 1/2 tsp chili flakes
  2. Deglaze the pan with the wine and simmer until reduced by half. Open the tomatoes and crush them, by hand, into the skillet. Pour any remaining juices left in the can into the skillet as well. Stir in the sugar, dried oregano, and dried basil and bring the mixture up to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
    1/2 cup dry white or rose wine, 1 can whole tomatoes, 1 tsp granulated sugar, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp dried basil
  3. Add the bay leaves, the basil sprig and the parm rind, if using, to the skillet. Let simmer for 20 minutes or until jam-like. Remove and discard the aromatics and transfer to a food processor. Blitz until smooth. Set sauce aside until ready to assemble.
    2 bay leaves, 1 sprig fresh basil, 1 Parmesan rind
For the Mascarpone Filling
  1. Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Stir in the spinach in batches, adding more only after the previous addition wilts. Drain the spinach and wrap in cheesecloth. Squeeze to remove excess moisture. Coarsely chop the spinach and place in a large bowl.
    140g (5oz) baby spinach
  2. Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and stir to combine. Transfer the mixture to a large piping bag and set aside until ready to use.
    475g (17oz) mascarpone cheese, 170g (6oz) mozzarella cheese, 1 clove garlic, 1 orange, 1 tsp salt
To Assemble
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  2. Bring a large pot of water up to a boil. Add the cannelloni and stir to keep the noodles from sticking together. Cook until the pasta is just underdone. Drain and rinse the cannelloni in cold water. Set aside.
    250g (9oz) dried cannelloni
  3. Pour a cup and a quarter of the red sauce into a 7x11 baking dish. Spread the sauce in an even layer.
  4. Cut the cannelloni in half and, working a half at a time, stand the cannelloni half up in the red sauce. Fill the cannelloni with the mascarpone filling and meatballs until it's able to more or less stand on it's own. Repeat with the remaining cannelloni.
  5. Cover the cannelloni with shredded mozzarella cheese and breadcrumbs and place in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese is golden and bubbly. Let stand for 10 minutes before sprinkling with fresh parsley. Serve with your favorite wine.
    170g (6oz) mozzarella cheese, 2 tbsp breadcrumbs, 1 tbsp fresh flat leaf parsley