PREPARATION:

For the Pasta: 

1. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil and add pasta. Stir well to prevent the pasta from sticking together and cook until just al dente, usually 6 to 8 minutes. Drain and transfer partially cooked pasta to a large bowl of ice water. Once cooled, transfer to damp kitchen towels and cover until ready to assemble the cannelloni

For the Sauce: 

1. In a 4 quart saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-high heat and sauté onion and shallots until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the carrots and celery and cook until soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Add 4 cloves of the minced garlic and cook for 20 seconds longer. Add red wine and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the flavors concentrate slightly. Add the tomatoes, bring to a boil and then immediately turn down to a simmer and cook the sauce until the tomatoes break down and the sauce starts to thicken, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Stir in 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper.
2. When the sauce is finished, remove from the heat and carefully blend with a hand-held mixer. (Alternatively, sauce may be pureed in a blender, in batches, after it has cooled slightly. Take care in pureeing hot liquids; cover the blender tightly with a kitchen towel to prevent lid from coming up while pureeing.) Stir in the sun dried tomatoes and set aside until ready to use.
3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. 

For The Cannelloni Filling: 

1. Place the ricotta in a medium mixing bowl. Add the spinach, the lemon zest, fresh herbs, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, 3 tablespoon olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon of salt and the remaining black pepper. Mix well to combine. 
2. Fill a pastry bag with the ricotta mixture if using cannelloni, otherwise use a spoon to fill the pasta sheets. 

To Assemble: 

1. Lightly spray a 9 x 13 casserole dish with cooking spray. Spoon 1 cup of sauce on the bottom of the casserole dish to cover. Spoon the ricotta filling onto each pasta sheet and roll up. Arrange in a single layer onto the casserole dish. Spread the remaining sauce over the cannelloni, making sure the pasta is well coated. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and salt and transfer to the oven and cook until it is heated through, bubbly and golden brown on top, about 20 to 25 minutes.

   Editor's Note: Look for organic and locally-grown ingredients when you can.