SpinachArtichokeRollatini1

Spinach & Artichoke Rollatini

Want a fun way to eat lasagna – roll it up! Fresh sage leaves add a great depth of earthy flavor to the creamy white sauce. If you don’t like artichokes, you can always substitute in roasted red pepper, zucchini, or whatever else you like!

SpinachArtichokeRollatini1

To make the sauce that will go inside the rolls, as well as pour over top, you first start with a roux. Traditionally a roux is when equal parts butter and flour are cooked together, which creates the thickening needed for the sauce. In our version we’ve lighted the calories a bit by using less butter – and of course used gluten free flour.  Once the butter is melted (add in the fresh sage as well), add in the flour and stir for about a minute over medium heat until the mixture is smooth. For this sauce you want it to be a ‘white’ sauce, so don’t cook the mixture too long or it will start to turn golden in color. Add in the (cold)  milk a bit at a time until the roux loosens, and remains lump-free. The mixture will begin to thicken immediately since the starch granules start to swell and absorb the liquid. Slowly add in the remaining milk and continue to stir until sauce is smooth and thick. Season to taste to salt and add in a pinch of nutmeg. SpinachArtichokeRollatini2

See also
Ribbon Pasta

2 cups may seem like a lot of spinach, but once you finely chop it and cook it down for about 2 minutes, it shrinks down to a quarter of that amount. If you don’t like artichokes, here is where you can add in any other veggies you like – roasted red peppers or  zucchini or… SpinachArtichokeRollatini3

Since we are baking this pasta in the oven for an additional 30 minutes or so, you only want to partially cook the lasagna in boiling water – otherwise the noodles would be overcooked and be a bit too mushy. Boil them just for 7 minutes, then lay them out on a towel and pat them dry. Once you’ve finished making the filling, add a few tablespoons to the end and roll it up. It helps if you have your palms on either side of the roll to use as a guide to keep the filling in, while you use your thumbs and forefingers to roll it up. SpinachArtichokeRollatini4

I’ve made this dish a few times, and this last time I decided to try adding some cheddar cheese to the béchamel sauce – which is why it’s orange in the picture. For me, I wasn’t a fan of that combination of flavors (the cheddar with artichoke and spinach) – the plain white sauce is so much better. But sometimes you gotta try new things! I think adding a bit of asiago or parmesan would be delicious though…maybe next time! SpinachArtichokeRollatini5

SpinachArtichokeRollatini1

Spinach & Artichoke Rollatini

Marla Hingley
The sage adds another level of flavor to this tasty pasta dish.
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 45 mins
Total Time 1 hr 5 mins
Servings 5

Ingredients
  

Bechamel Sauce

  • 2 Tbsp butter or margarine
  • 10 fresh sage leaves
  • ¼ cup GF flour blend
  • 4 cups whole milk
  • Pinch nutmeg

Filling

  • 2 Tbsp butter margarine or oil
  • ½ onion finely chopped
  • 2 cups packed fresh spinach
  • 1 cup canned artichokes not marinated, diced
  • 1 tsp GF Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 egg
  • ¼ cup parmesan cheese grated

Rollatini

  • 15 GF lasagna noodles
  • 1 cup mozzarella grated
  • 2 Tbsp parmesan grated

Instructions
 

  • In a saucepan, melt butter. Add sage leaves and cook about 1 minute, breaking leaves up as they crisp up. Whisk in the flour, stirring for about 1 minute to cook the flour. Slowly pour in the milk, a bit at a time, until the flour mixture blends smoothly into the milk. Bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir in the nutmeg, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
  • In a large skillet saute onions in butter until tender. Finely chop the spinach then add to the skillet along with the artichokes. Stir mixture until spinach is tender and wilted, about 2 minutes. Add Worcestershire and season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a large bowl and allow to cool for 30 minutes. Once cool, stir in egg, cheese and 1 cup of sauce. Set aside.
  • Boil noodles until halfway done, about 7 minutes. Drain, rinse with cool water, then lay out on a clean towel and pat dry.
  • Spread out 2 cups of sauce into bottom of 9x13” baking dish.
  • To assemble, lay one noodle out and spoon about 2 Tbsp of filling onto end. Roll noodles up, covering the sides with your hands as you’re rolling so filling doesn’t fall out. Place seam side down in baking dish. Repeat until all noodles are rolled. Top with the remaining sauce, and sprinkle with the cheese.
  • Cover with foil and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes. Uncover and broil for an additional 10 minutes until top is golden.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
See also
Creamy Pumpkin & Rosemary Penne

 

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5 Comments

  1. Thank you so much for creating this website with recipes for people who are gluten
    intolerant. Our daughter, who is now age 36 has been struggling with what to eat since she was diagnosed at age 1.5. At that time there was very little out there on what to feed her so it was a Trial method all the way. Many thanks, D H

  2. It still is a lot of trial and error – just ask our Test Kitchen! But at least we will do all that for you, so for all the recipes we email out you can be sure they are tried, tested and taste good! Thanks for taking the time to drop us a note, we truly appreciate your comments.

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