Authentic Italian Cannelloni Food

ITALIAN CANNELLONI

Steps:

• In oil in a large frypan, cook and stir onion, garlic until the onion is tender.
• Add beef and pork and continue cooking until beef is brown. Remove from heat and drain excess oil.
• Mix in half the parmesan cheese, cream, eggs and seasonings.
• When cool enough to handle, stuff uncooked cannelloni noodles with mixture. Spread a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of a 3.5 litre pan. Arrange stuffed cannelloni in a single layer and pour remaining sauce over, being certain to cover all the pasta.
• Sprinkle with the remaining parmesan and dot with butter.
• Cover with foil and bake at 375 F for 55 -60 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork. (during last 10 minutes shredded mozzeralla can be sprinkled on top and the foil removed if desired.).

HOMEMADE CANNOLI

Steps:

• For the shell dough: In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, sugar and salt. Work the butter pieces into the flour with your fingers until the mixture becomes coarse and sandy. Add the egg yolk and the white wine and mix until it becomes a smooth dough. Spread a piece of plastic wrap on a flat surface and place the dough in the center. Wrap the plastic loosely around it and press the dough to fill the gap. Flattening the dough will mean less rolling later. Let it rest in the fridge for a few minutes while you make the filling.
• For the filling: In a medium bowl, whisk the ricotta until smooth. Sift in the powdered sugar, cinnamon and allspice. Mix to blend. In a separate bowl (or in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment), beat the heavy cream until fairly stiff. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the cream into the ricotta mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips. Lightly zest the exterior of the lemon and stir it into the ricotta. Refrigerate for a half hour to an hour.
• To roll and fry the shells: In a medium pot with a heavy bottom, heat the canola oil to 360 degrees F. Meanwhile, sift an even layer of flour on a flat surface. Flour a rolling pin. Roll the dough until it is very thin (about 1/8-inch thick). Cut the dough into fourths and work in small batches. Use any glass or small bowl that has a 3-to-4-inch diameter. Cut rounds, tracing around each one to assure the dough has been fully cut. You should have about 24 circles. Wrap each circle around a cannoli mold. Use a little of the egg wash on the edge of each round to seal it shut and to assure it won't slide or fall off the mold before pressing it closed over the mold. Flare the edges out slightly from the mold. Flaring will allow the oil to penetrate each cannoli shell as they fry. Use a pair of tongs to hold the edge of the mold as you submerge and fry the shell in the oil until crispy, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the oil, and holding the mold in one had with your tongs, gently grip the shell in your other hand with a kitchen towel and carefully slide it off the mold. Set aside to cool. Repeat with all of the circles.
• To fill the cannolis: Just before serving, use a pastry bag without a tip to pipe the ricotta into the cannoli molds. Fill the cannoli shells from both ends so the cream runs through the whole shell. Dust with powdered sugar. Powdered sugar gives that little extra sweetness and added texture to the exterior. It also makes me feel like I have a professional bakery touch in my own home. Serve immediately.

SAUSAGE AND RICOTTA BAKED CANNELLONI

Steps:

• Béchamel:
• Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook, whisking occasionally, until mixture smells slightly nutty, about 3 minutes. Whisk in milk, then increase heat to medium-high, and still whisking constantly, bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook just until thick and no longer floury tasting, 8-10 minutes. Add Parmesan and whisk until melted, then whisk in cayenne and nutmeg; season with salt. Cover béchamel and keep warm until ready to use.
• Do Ahead: Béchamel can be made 3 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill. Reheat over medium-low, whisking constantly and adding a splash of water if needed to loosen.
• Assembly
• Remove ribs and stems from Swiss chard leaves and thinly slice. Tear leaves into large pieces. Combine oil and sausage with Swiss chard ribs and stems in a large skillet and set over medium-high heat. Cook, breaking up sausage with a heatproof rubber spatula or wooden spoon into small pieces, until sausage is almost cooked through, 5-7 minutes.
• Add Swiss chard leaves to skillet a handful at a time, tossing and letting them wilt slightly between additions, until all the leaves have been added. Cook, reducing heat as needed (liquid should be bubbling slightly at this point), until liquid is almost completely evaporated (it's important to dry out the Swiss chard here so the filling isn't soggy), about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Let cool 5 minutes, then stir in ricotta. Season filling with salt.
• If using pasta sheets, cook in a pot of boiling salted water 1 minute. Transfer to a large bowl of cold water. Lay out a row of pasta sheets on a rimmed baking sheet (don't overlap), then top with a sheet of waxed or parchment paper. Repeat with remaining pasta sheets, placing sheets of paper between each layer.
• If using shells, cook in a pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, just until very al dente, about 3 minutes less than package instructions; rinse under cold water to cool quickly.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Spread half of béchamel into a 13x9" baking dish. If using pasta sheets, lay out a sheet on a clean surface with a short end facing you. Spoon a heaping ¼-cupful of filling so it runs all the way down the center. Roll pasta around filling to create a 1 1/4"-diameter tube (the pasta will overlap quite a bit). Repeat with remaining pasta sheets, arranging in baking dish as you go to create 2 rows. If using shells, spoon a heaping tablespoonful of filling into each shell and nestle next to each other to create rows (you'll have about 5 rows of 6 shells each). Spread remaining béchamel over cannelloni, then marinara sauce. Top with Parmesan.
• Bake cannelloni until edges of pasta are lightly browned and sauce is bubbling around edges of pan, 30-40 minutes.
• Do Ahead: Filling can be made 2 days ahead. Let cool completely, then cover and chill.

ITALIAN BAKED CANNELLONI

Steps:

• In a large skillet over medium heat, warm oil and saute ground beef with the onion, sage and rosemary; cook until meat is evenly browned and crumbly. Drain fat. Add salt and 1/2 cup white wine; cook until wine is evaporated. Set mixture aside.
• To make the Bechamel sauce: Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and stir until well incorporated. Stir in milk and bring to a slow boil until mixture thickens. Remove sauce from the heat. In a steady stream, pour the bechamel in to the beaten egg yolks, whisking constantly. Stir the sauce into the meat mixture. Stir in the cubed mozzarella.
• In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter and saute onion until soft and translucent. Add 1/2 cup white wine and let it cook down to evaporate; add stewed tomatoes and salt. Mix well; simmer for 15 minutes.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta, a few at a time, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; using a slotted spoon, remove immediately to a pot filled with cold water. Lift pasta out with slotted spoon and arrange on a flat surface.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Spoon a line of filling into each shell, starting from one end and using your finger to push the filling inside of each shell. Place cannelloni in prepared baking dish and cover with tomato sauce mixture.
• Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes or until heated through; when finished baking, allow to stand for 5 minutes and serve.

CANNELLONI

Steps:

• First make the stuffing. In a deep skillet cook the onion, celery and carrot in the olive oil over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes, or until softened. Add the garlic and cook the mixture, stirring, 1 minute. Add the veal, pork and beef and cook, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink. Add the wine, reduce for 1 minute and stir in the broth. Add the herbs, bay leaf and salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer, covered, 15 minutes. Uncover and reduce until almost dry. Discard bay leaf. Transfer mixture to a bowl and let cool. Mix in egg yolks until well combined. Meanwhile, in a saucepan set over moderately low heat melt the butter, add the flour and whisk the mixture for 2 minutes. Add the milk, nutmeg and salt and pepper and simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until thickened. Stir in 1/2 cup of the Parmesan and the parsley. In a bowl combine the meat mixture with the cheese and parsley sauce. Make the tomato sauce and stir in the heavy cream.
• Now, make the pasta. Cut the dough crosswise into 5-inch lengths. In a pot of boiling salted water cook the noodles, a few at a time, for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, or until they are al dente, transferring them as they are cooked to a bowl of cold water. Spread the noodles in one layer on paper towels to drain. Spoon 1/4 cup of the filling down the center of one noodle, roll the noodle to enclose the filing, and transfer the cannelloni, seam side down, to a well-buttered gratin dish.Continue to make cannelloni with the remaining noodles and filling in the same manner, arranging them in one layer. Ladle the sauce over the cannelloni and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan. Bake at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes or until bubbling. Run under the broiler about 4 inches from the heat, for 2 minutes, or until golden.

AUTHENTIC MANICOTTI & CANNELLONI

Steps:

• Marinara:
• Heat oil. Add onions and garlic and cook until soft, but not brown.
• Add tomatoes, paste, basil, sugar, salt and pepper. Reduce heat low, simmer partially covered, 40 minutes. Stir occasionally.
• Press through sieve. Season to taste.
• Crepes:
• Mix eggs and milk and beat well.
• Add flour a little at a time with a whisk.
• Butter 6" fry pan. Place a little batter in pan and swirl until bottom is covered. Cook on one side until dry. Butter pan as needed.
• Cheese filling (Manicotti):
• Mix together all ingredients.
• Meat filling (Cannelloni or Ravioli):
• Melt butter in skillet, cook onions 7-8 minutes.
• Add meat, cook until liquid cooks away. Take off the heat. Place in bowl.
• Stir in spinach and cheese. Add eggs (beaten) to mixture. Season.
• Besciamella (white sauce):
• Melt butter over moderate heat. Remove from heat and whisk in flour.
• Pour in cream and milk all at once. Whisk until flour is partially dissolved. Return to heat and cook until sauce comes to boil and is smooth.
• Simmer, low, 2-3 minutes, season.
• Assembly:
• Heat the oven to 375ËšF.
• Fill crepes with filling.
• Place film of tomato sauce into baking dishes. Lay manicotti side by side on sauce.
• Pour besciamella over and spoon rest of tomato sauce on top.
• Scatter on cheese and dot with butter.
• Bake 20 - 25 minutes, until cheese is melted and sauce bubbling.

CANNELLONI

Steps:

• In a large skillet, saute onion in olive oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in spinach. Cook about 5 minutes or until all the water has evaporated and the spinach starts to stick to the pan, stirring constantly,. Transfer to a large bowl. , In the same skillet, brown meat; drain and add to spinach mixture. Stir in the cheese, cream, eggs, oregano, salt and pepper; mix well. Set aside., Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions; drain. Cut each noodle in half widthwise; spread out noodles side by side on a large piece of foil. Place 1 heaping tablespoon of filling at one end of noodle; roll up. Repeat with remaining noodles and filling., Pour about 1 cup of tomato sauce in the bottom of a 13x9-in. baking dish. Place two rolls, seam side down, vertically on both sides of the baking dish. Place remaining rolls in four rows of three rolls each; set aside. , For cream sauce, melt butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat; stir in flour until smooth; gradually add milk and cream. Bring to a boil, cook and stir for 1 minute or until thickened. Remove from heat; season with salt and pepper. Spread cream sauce over lasagna rolls. Cover with remaining tomato sauce. Sprinkle with cheese. , Bake at 375°, uncovered, for 20-30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.