Enjoy this cooking demonstration of the Fantastic Cannelloni recipe from Junior League of Lafayette’s “Talk About Good II” cookbook.

Fantastic Cannelloni, “Talk About Good II” p.188

1 (8 oz) package manicotti or cannelloni shells

1 ¼ lb. Italian sausage

1 (10 oz) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed

2 eggs, lightly beaten

8 oz. of mozzarella cheese, shredded

1 cup creamed cottage cheese, small curd

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

½ cup bread crumbs (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

1 (32 oz) jar Hunt’s Prima Salsa Sauce

Boil cannelloni shells in a large amount of salted water to which 2 tablespoons cooking oil have been added. Drain and rinse thoroughly; separate to prevent them from sticking together. Remove Italian sausage from casing and brown in heavy skillet, stirring to break up pieces. Place in bowl and add thawed spinach, mozzarella cheese, cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, and eggs. Season to taste with salt and pepper and mix thoroughly. Stuff mixture into prepared cannelloni shells and place in a single layer in a well-greased baking dish. Cover with Prima Salsa Sauce; you may not need the whole jar, but do be generous. Bake in a preheated 350° oven for 30 minutes. Additional Parmesan or mozzarella cheese maybe strewn on top of the sauce in the last 10 minutes of baking. Servings: 6.

Margaret A. Blumberg