Rotolo, a rolled pasta with spinach and ricotta, has become a North Shore holiday favorite over the past 30 years.
Serve it as a main course, side dish or appetizer. Great with crusty bread and a wonderful Chianti.
Rotolo Primizia
Makes 24 rolls
Ingredients:
- 3 20-inch lasagna strips (blanched for 2 minutes in salted water)
- 3 pounds frozen spinach (cooked, drained and squeezed dry)
- 3 cups ricotta
- 2 1/2 cups grated Parmesan
- 5 eggs
- 1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground pepper
Sauce
- 3 cups tomato sauce
- 3 cups béchamel sauce
1. Lay the carefully drained lasagna strips on a board.
2. Mix the spinach, ricotta and 2 cups of the parmesan together (reserve 1/2 cup for later).
3. Loosely whisk the eggs, then add to the spinach mixture and mix well. Add garlic, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
4. Spread mixture on pasta strips about 1/4 of an inch thick and roll each strip tightly.
5. Wrap rolls in cheesecloth and tie the ends.
6. Poach rolls in simmering water for about 20 minutes or until they float. Remove cheesecloth from rolls soon after poaching.
7. Allow rolls to cool. Slice each roll into eight pieces.
8. Place rolls overlapping in three rows in a 10 x 12 casserole dish. Spread each row with half tomato sauce and half béchamel sauce. Sprinkle the center of each row with the remaining grated parmesan. Bake in a 350-degree oven for approximately 25 minutes. Serve immediately.
A great chianti we often recommend is Monsanto Chianti Classico, available for $22.99. And if you don’t feel like cooking, you can order Rotolo Primizia at our market.
