Slow Cooker Parsnip And Butternut Squash Cannelloni

The inspiration for this slow cooker parsnip and butternut squash cannelloni recipe came when I was going through our fruit and vegetable box (we get a delivery weekly) the other day, taking note of what we got before I started menu planning for the week.Because we had a sickness bug the last few days, we still have parsnip and butternut squash from the week before. I decided I needed to think of something to cook tonight in the slow cooker so that me and the kids can go off for the day and enjoy our meal when we come back.

I’ve done lasagna in the slow cooker before so thought it would be ideal to try canneloni.So here it is.Best made the day before so you can roast the parsnip and butternut squash and process to a pulp before filling the tubes.It seems a very long but I promise it is worth it.

For the pasta tomato sauce

4 tbsp olive oil

2 onions, peeled and finely chopped

4 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed

4 fresh tomatoes, finely chopped

2 tins of tomatoes

2 tsp balsamic vinegar

2 tsp of sugar

200 ml boiled water with a melted stock cube

A handful of torn basil

Salt and pepper

For the filling

4 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, peeled and quartered

1 butternut squash, quartered, deseeded and chopped into small pieces

1 large parsnip, peeled, topped and tailed and chopped into small pieces

125g feta cheese

Nutmeg

Spinach cannelloni tubes

Cheddar cheese

1.To make the filling place the onions, butternut squash and parsnip on a tray and liberally splash the oil all over.Cook at 200°c for 25 minutes in the oven.

2.To make the tomato sauce start by gently frying the onions on a medium heat for 6-8 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for a further two minutes.Add the fresh tomatoes to the pan, cook for 5 minutes and add the balsamic vinegar and sugar and cook for 1 minute.Next add the tinned tomatoes and the vegetable stock.Season well with salt and pepper.Leave to cook on a very low heat for 20-25 minutes.Remove from the heat and add the torn basil.Check the taste for seasoning.

3. In a food processor add the filling mix (remove the skin from the butternut squash first) with the feta cheese and season with salt and pepper and  freshly grated nutmeg.Take a piping bag and large open piping nozzle.Fill the bag a third of the way with the mix and pipe all the cannelloni tubes refilling the piping bag when necessary.

4.Ladle a small amount of the tomato mix into the pot so it covers the bottom.Place a layer of stuffed cannelloni into the bottom of the pot.Ladle a bit more sauce, a small amount of grated cheese.Keep layering cannelloni, sauce and cheese.I did 3 layers.Any tomato sauce that is left over fill the sides of the pot.

5.Cook on low for 4-6.The cannelloni will swell and take on the sauce but watch it doesn’t burn.Enjoy your slow cooker parsnip and butternut squash cannelloni with fresh garlic bread to mop up those juices.

21. October 2011 by Aly Hodge
Categories: SLOW COOKER, VEGETARIAN | Tags: butternut squash, cannelloni, fish free friday, parsnip, pasta, SLOW COOKER, vegetarian | 2 comments