Great combo this: ham and oozy fontina with spinachy ricotta rolled up in pasta and baked with tomato sauce. There are several versions of this in Italy; in Faenza, where 85 year old Rina lives, it is called capriccio. Watch Rina, helped by her best friend Cicchi, show her version. Recipe ingredients below.
Mix the following:
250g sheep’s milk ricotta
150g of cooked, squeezed dry spinach
50g Parmigiano cheese which is 14 months old,
1 free range egg
plenty of grated nutmeg
salt.
For the béchamel sauce:
30g butter
3 tablespoons 00 flour
3/4 litre of whole milk
plenty of nutmeg
salt
For the tomato sauce, simmer for 10 minutes:
1 400g tin whole tomatoes, chopped
6 basil leaves
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
To assemble:
200g thinly sliced ham
150g sliced fontina cheese
For the pasta: 3 large free range eggs, 300g 00 flour
This is enough to make one 30x20 centimetre (approximately) baking tray.