Ingredients:
50g butter
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and pressed
225g button mushrooms, sliced thinly
2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil
450g fresh blanched spinach (or frozen)
2 tablespoons flour
300ml chicken stock
150ml dry white wine
150ml heavy cream
350g cooked, boneless chicken, chopped
175g thinly sliced Parma ham
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
225g precooked cannelloni tubes
175g grated Gruyere cheese
40g grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F), 10 minutes before cooking. Lightly butter an ovenproof dish measuring about 23-28 cm. Heat 25g butter in a large frying pan over medium low heat. Add garlic and mushrooms, cook for 5 minutes. Stir in basil and spinach. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally until spinach is slightly wilted. Season with salt and pepper, then pour into the prepared dish and set aside. Melt the remaining butter in a small saucepan, add flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, add chicken stock, then the wine and cream. Return pan to heat, bring to boil and simmer until sauce is thick and smooth. Season to taste. Transfer 125ml of the sauce to a bowl. Add chicken, Parma ham and thyme. Adjust seasoning to taste. Stuff cannelloni tubes with mixture, and place in two rows on top of spinach in the dish. Add half of the Gruyere cheese to the remaining sauce and heat, stirring until cheese melts. Pour over the cannelloni, then sprinkle with the remaining Gruyere and Parmesan. Bake for 35 minutes until golden and bubbling. Garnish with fresh basil and serve immediately.