Sausage Manicotti With Spinach And Cream Sauce - cooking recipe

Ingredients

8 tubes manicotti pasta
1/2 cup butter
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 1/3 lb frozen spinach
1 pinch nutmeg
1/3 cup flour
2 cups low-fat milk
1/4 lb cream cheese
1 lb sausage meat
6 stalks oregano, chopped, plus some leaves for garnish
1/3 lb mozzarella cheese, grated

Preparation

Prepare the manicotti pasta according to the package instructions, drain and set aside. Preheat oven to 350\u00b0F.
To prepare the spinach, heat 1/3 of the butter in a saucepan and gently saute the onion until translucent. Add the spinach and 1/2 cup water, cover and cook over low heat for about 15 mins. Season with salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg then drain and set aside.
To make the sauce, heat the remaining butter in a pan and stir in the flour to make a smooth paste. Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly, and cook, stirring, for about 5 mins until smooth and creamy. Stir in the cream cheese and season with salt and pepper.
To assemble, mix together the sausage and oregano and fill the manicotti pasta with the mixture. Place the spinach in the bottom of a baking dish followed by the manicotti and pour the sauce on top. Sprinkle with the grated cheese and bake for 30-40 mins until golden brown. Sprinkle with oregano to serve.