Mangia! Mangia!

This dish is divine, and I know it's a winner if Todd's loves it and it doesn't even contain meat! So this is for you Katy, the best vegetarian Italian dinner ever. I'm not gonna lie, this recipe is a little fussy but totally worth it. You can cut back on the prep by getting fresh pasta sheets instead of making the cannelloni shells/crepes from scratch, but if you have time, definitely go for it. The boys and I made them earlier in the day and we had fun making a mess in the kitchen and we miraculously avoided burns and other catastrophes even with the babies' "help". Just put them in a Tupperware until later when you need to assemble them (the crepes, not the kids). So you can definitely break it up, even making the sauce a day ahead if you want. So here it is, heavenly
 ||Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni||
This isn't Amercanized Italian food, it's the real deal. So yummy with crusty bread and you don't even need salad since you're getting your greens in the filling.

Crepes:

3 eggs

1 1/2 cups flour
Salt
3 1/2 TB butter, plus more for frying
1 cup whole milk
Tomato Sauce:
1 clove garlic, smashed
3 TB olive oil
14 oz can diced tomatoes
4 basil leaves
1/2 cup water
Filling:
6 cups spinach leaves (wilt in a pan and let cool) or about 1/3 pkg frozen spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
2 cups whole milk ricotta
1 egg, beaten
3/4 grated parmesan
Fresh nutmeg
Salt and pepper
Bechamel Sauce:
4 1/2 TB butter
1/3 cup flour
2 1/4 cups whole milk, warmed
Salt and pepper
Topping:
1/2 cup grated parmesan

For crepes, whisk the eggs in a bowl then whisk in the flour with a few pinches of salt. Add the butter and, while whisking, incorporate the milk until the batter is thinned out and smooth. It will have a few small lumps, that's okay. Let the batter sit for 20 minutes or so. Heat a little butter in a small, non-stick skillet over med-high heat. Pour a half ladle full into pan, swirl pan to make a thin, even circle. Cook until golden, then flip. Let cool on a baking rack while you do the rest. You need 12 crepes, this should be enough batter plus a bit extra for any mishaps.
For sauce, heat the garlic in the oil until fragrant, add the tomatoes and season with salt. Bring to a boil then simmer for about 15 minutes. Add basil and water, cook a few more minutes then puree' to make a smooth sauce (I use my baby food maker for this so I don't have to get the big blender messy).
For the filling, add all ingredients and mix well.
For the bechamel, melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Whisk in the flour and cook a few minutes until fragrant, stirring constantly. Then add warm milk and whisk until smooth. Add salt, pepper and a grating of nutmeg, cook over medium heat until it comes to a boil and for 5 minutes or so. Don't leave this baby alone, keep stirring!
Preheat the oven to 350*. Grease a 9x13 pan and put about half the bechamel in the bottom to cover. Fill the crepes with a few spoonfuls of the filling mixture and roll up, laying them in two rows of 6 along the short side of the pan. Pour the rest of the bechamel over top, dollp with tomato sauce, then sprinkle with 1/2 cup of parmesan. Bake for about 40 minutes. Let rest a few minutes before serving. Buon Appetito!
{This is from the cookbook, Apples for Jam}