Corsican Cheese Lasagne (Cannelloni au Brocciu)

This Corsican Brocciu Cheese Lasagne is my lazy gourmet way of cooking the Corsican classic dish of Cannelloni au Brocciu. Can’t find brocciu? Then use a good ricotta.

However, you’ll never look at a spinach and ricotta lasagna the same way after tasting this version! There’s at least one vital ingredient that sets it apart from the others: mint. Just don’t tell the neighbours in Antoine’s hilltop village in Corsica that I told you.

Cannelloni au Brocciu – A Popular Corsican Classic

Cannelloni au Brocciu is either served as a starter/entrée or as a main course and is just about on every menu in traditional Corsican restaurants.  Although it’s around all year, the Corsican signature cheese, Brocciu, is really only available between November and May-June. If you see it on menus over the summer months, don’t scoff like my Corsican mother-in-law does: you’ll probably be getting a delicious substitute of soft ewe’s milk cheese, Brousse, or ricotta instead.

So, if you can’t find brocciu cheese to make this, don’t worry: a good quality ricotta will do nicely – just add a good pinch of salt to it. For more about brocciu cheese, see my post on Fiadone, Corsican Brocciu Cheesecake, which is the most classic of Corsican desserts.

As in many Corsican recipes, blette or swiss chard is used.
Can’t find this easily? A good substitute is spinach – or even beetroot leaves.

Using fresh lasagne sheets and piling on the toppings is in the same taste league and it’s so much quicker and less fiddly than stuffing dried cannelloni tubes or rolling up fresh lasagne sheets. If you want to make your own pasta from scratch, here’s my recipe for fresh egg pasta noodles, that uses up some yolks so you can make your macarons with the whites!

“I would recognise Corsica with my eyes closed…”

Napoleon Bonaparte (born in Corsica)

Napoleon Bonaparte was referring to Corsica’s Maquis, the distinctive Mediterranean shrub-land that covers the island, full of wild herbs and flowers that emanate the most incredible fragrance: it’s a mix of woody, smoky notes that can’t be equaled anywhere else in France.

Corsican Mint

As with many Corsican dishes, a good amount of aromatic herbs are used that are found growing wild in the undergrowth of Corsica’s Maquis or bush.  The best tasting I had of this dish was in Rogliano, a tiny village at the most northern point of the “Island of Beauty’s” Cap Corse.  Their secret was the addition of fresh mint to the filling. Since then, I always add it to this dish. You’ll see: it makes all the difference, secretly tucked inside.

Nepita, a typical Corsican herb from the maquis is also used in Corsican cooking: it’s a mixture of peppermint and oregano and added to tomato ragouts and stews, such as this Veal Stew with Peppers.

Corsican Brocciu Lasagne vs Cannelloni au Brocciu

Using fresh lasagne sheets makes this dish a bit quicker and easier to make. However, if you have more time and are not put off by stuffing dried cannelloni tubes, then this will be more authentic. Luckily, Lucie is my willing helper in the kitchen who adores stuffing the tubes while listening to I Muvrini singing. Just listen to them and be transported to the Île de Beauté!

Have you made this recipe?

I’d love to know how it turned out. Please let me know by leaving a rated review below. It means so much to have your support. On Instagram? Share a photo and tag @JillColonna and hashtag it #madaboutmacarons. À bientôt!