Spinach & Ricotta Cannelloni in a Beefy Butternut Sauce

Set the frozen spinach aside to thaw, ideally in a strainer to remove as much liquid as possible before using later in the recipe.

Peel and Dice Butternut Pumpkin. Place pieces in a large stockpot and fill with water until just covered. Bring to a boil and then simmer until just cooked.

Roughly Dice Onion and sautee in olive oil until softened. Add the beef mince if using and season with garlic powder, salt & pepper.

Drain the pumpkin, reserving some of the cooking water. Puree the pumpkin with an immersion (stick) blender, thinning with the cooking water until you reach a thick soup consistency. If you're not using the mince - puree the seasoned onions in with the pumpkin mixture, otherwise just season the pumpkin with the stock powder.

In a medium to large bowl, combine the Ricotta, egg, drained spinach, Parmesan and dash of nutmeg.

Preheat Oven to 180°C

Spread the mince & onion mixture evenly over the base of a large ceramic lasagne dish.

If not using mince, spread 1/4 of the pumpkin mixture across the base of the dish instead.

Fill a large piping bag with the cheese mixture. Holding each tube with one open end against the palm of your hand, gently squeeze the ricotta mixture into the tube until filled.

If you don't have a piping bag you can get the mixture into the tubes with a spoon - just carefully poke the mixture in with your finger or the thin end of the spoon to ensure no major air pockets remain.

As each tube is filled, nestle it in the prepared mixture on the base of your lasagne pan, lining up the tubes in rows.