I am passionate about cooking - I have always been pursuing happiness through good food, fine wine, my dogs, and of course, with my family and friends!
Being raised in a home where good home cooking was shared with friends and family almost every other day, it was not difficult at all to embrace the concept of “you live to eat”.
Cannelloni with Halloumi Charalambides Christi
Ingredients
For the topping:
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300g Mascarpone
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60ml Milk
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200g Halloumi, Charalambides Christis, grated
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1 tsp Fine Sea Salt
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1/3 tsp freshly ground Black Pepper
For the Tomato Sauce:
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1 Small Onion, finely Minced
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1 Clove Garlic, finely Minced
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1 tsp Dry Oregano, ground
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2 tbsp EVOO, Extra Virgin Olive Oil
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800g Tomato Pulp, canned
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1 tsp Fine Sea Salt
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1/3 tsp freshly ground Black Pepper
For the Pasta:
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200g Cannelloni Pasta
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200g Halloumi, Charalambides Christis, grated
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500g Spinach, stems cut and discarded
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200g Anari Cheese, salted
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1 tsp Nutmeg, finely grated
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1 tsp Fine Sea Salt
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½ tsp freshly ground Black Pepper
Instructions
Start by placing half the spinach in a sieve or colander and then pouring all-over it hot water to wilt. Keep aside and repeat for the rest of the spinach.
When cold enough to handle squeeze well to remove the water and place the spinach in a food processor with the metal blade on, pulse a couple of times to chop. Then add 200g of the halloumi, the anari cheese, the nutmeg and season with the salt and pepper. Pulse a bit more to chop well and mix everything together. Keep aside in a plastic bag with one of its ends cut to be used as a filling pouch.
For the topping! In a medium bowl add the Mascarpone and the milk and mix to incorporate. Add 100g of halloumi, season with the salt and pepper and set aside.
For the tomato sauce, place a frying pan on medium/low heat and pour the oil. A minute later add the onions and sauté for 4’ to soften. Add the garlic and cook for just 30”. Drop in the tomato pulp along with the oregano, season with the salt and pepper, cover with a lid and simmer for 10’. Remove from the heat and set aside.
In the meantime, preheat the oven to the 1800 C, air circulation, rack in the middle.
Take an oven proof dish and add on its base a thin layer of the tomato sauce. Take the bag with the spinach and squeeze the mixture into each of the cannelloni tubes and lay on top of the sauce. Once all cannelloni tubes are arranged pour on top them the remaining tomato mixture sauce.
With a spoon add on top of the tomato sauce the topping and sprinkle the remaining 100g of the grated halloumi.
Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 30’ and until golden brown.
Take off the oven and let stand for 15’ minutes before serving.
