Wild Venison, Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni
Pasta tubes filled with cooked wild venison, spinach and ricotta, baked in tomato sauce.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 1 hr 15 min
- Total
- 1 hr 45 min
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
Species: Muntjac, Chinese Water Deer, Roe Deer, Fallow Deer, Red Deer
Ingredients
- 500 g wild venison mince
- 15 ml olive oil
- 150 g onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 200 g frozen chopped spinach, thawed in the fridge and squeezed dry
- 250 g ricotta
- 16 dried cannelloni tubes, about 250 g
- 700 g passata
- 150 ml water
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 125 g mozzarella, drained and torn
- 10 g basil leaves
- 2 g fine salt
- 1 g ground black pepper
The cut for this recipe
Wild Venison Mince
Method
Heat the oil in a frying pan and soften the onion for 6 minutes. Add the garlic and mince and cook for 8 minutes, breaking up any clumps. Add the spinach and half the seasoning; cook for another 4 minutes. Stir and check the centre in several places with a clean food thermometer. The mince must be piping hot throughout, have no pink and remain at or above 70°C for 2 minutes.
Spread the filling in a shallow bowl and allow 10 minutes for the steam to escape. Fold in the ricotta. Meanwhile heat the oven to 200°C, or 180°C fan.
Mix the passata, water, oregano and remaining seasoning. Spread a third over the base of a roughly 30 × 22 cm baking dish.
Fill the dry cannelloni tubes using a teaspoon or a wide-ended piping bag, without packing too tightly. Arrange in a single layer and cover completely with the remaining tomato sauce.
Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil, scatter over the mozzarella and bake for 10–15 minutes more until the tubes are tender and the filling is piping hot.
Check the middle with a clean thermometer for 70°C for 2 minutes. Rest for 5 minutes and scatter with basil. The short cooling and filling stage is included in preparation; stove, oven and standing time total about 75 minutes.
Storage
Cool leftovers in shallow containers and refrigerate within 1–2 hours at 5°C or below. Use within 48 hours. Freeze suitable cooked portions promptly for up to 3 months for best quality; defrost in the fridge and use within 24 hours. Reheat only once until piping hot throughout.
