Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Pancakes with Sweet Tomato Sauce

The spinach and ricotta combination is a classic filling for pancakes or cannelloni and other pastas.  It's one of my ultimate comfort foods but can often be a bit bland, this one isn't!
Adding the sundried tomatoes is not essential but they do give the sauce so much depth, sweetness and richness that it's well worth a try (as a short cut you can use a few tablespoons of sundried tomato paste).

Makes 4 generously stuffed pancakes although the filling could probably be stretched to fill 6

Ingredients

4 Pancakes (Leftover from a pancake making session or bought!)

1 x 200g Bag of Baby Spinach Leaves

1 x 250g Tub of Ricotta

2 Cloves of Garlic, minced

Butter

Juice of half a lemon

Salt and Black Pepper

For the sweet tomato sauce:

Olive Oil

1 Red Onion

1 Clove of Garlic, chopped

Approx. 10 pieces of Sundried Tomatoes in Oil, chopped

1 x 400g tin of Plum Tomatoes

Half Tspn Sugar

1 tsp Balsamic Vinegar

Salt and Black Pepper

Favourite cheese for sprinkling on top - Mature Cheddar or Parmesan are good

• To make the filling, melt a good sized knob of butter in a large pan or frying pan and add the minced garlic.  Sizzle slowly for 20 seconds then add the lemon juice and season generously with salt and pepper.  Tip in all the spinach and toss it around to cover thoroughly with the lemony garlic butter, then cook for a minute or two until the leaves are totally wilted.  Turn off the heat.
• Using a large, slotted spoon, squeeze the spinach against one side of the pan, tipping it so most of the liquid comes out then lift the spinach into a bowl.  Leave to cool for a few minutes.
• Spoon the ricotta into the spinach bowl and mix the two together with a fork.  Check the seasoning and set aside.
• To make the tomato sauce, put a glug of olive oil into a frying pan on a medium heat, add the red onion and garlic and sizzle for a minute until softening.
• Add the chopped sundried tomatoes along with about a tablespoon of the oil from the jar then tip in the tinned tomatoes.  Break up the tomatoes with a fork then add the sugar, balsamic vinegar and a sprinkling of salt and pepper, let the sauce simmer for about 10-15 minutes.
• By this time the sauce should be reduced and sweet.  You can either use it as it is or liquidise it (I normally do this with a hand blender).
• To assemble the dish, spoon a generous amount of the filling in a line down the middle of each pancake and roll up, lay the stuffed pancakes next to each other in a oven-proof dish.  Spoon over the sauce, leaving the ends of the pancakes sticking out then top with the grated cheese of your choice.
• Bake at 200C for about 25 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and golden brown.  These are fab served with a leafy salad in a light lemony dressing!