Mushroom Sausage Ricotta And Basil Cannelloni Food

ITALIAN SAUSAGE, SPINACH, AND RICOTTA CANNELLONI

Steps:

• In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and saute the onion until fragrant and translucent. Add the Italian sausage meat, breaking it up with the back of a wooden spoon and brown it until no longer pink, about 10 to 12 minutes. Drain the excess fat from the sausage meat, and set aside to cool. In a large mixing bowl stir together the drained and squeeze-dried spinach, ricotta, 1 1/2 cups Parmesan, eggs, cooled Italian sausage and onion mixture, salt, and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Place the oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the fresh pasta rectangles for 1 minute and remove with a slotted spatula. Set aside. In a 9 by 13-inch baking dish, spread 2 cups tomato sauce. Working with 1 pasta rectangle at a time, spread 6 tablespoons filling along one edge and roll the pasta sheet up tightly, leaving the ends open. Repeat until you have 8 cannelloni. Arrange the prepared cannelloni, seam-side down, in a single layer in the baking dish. Spoon the remaining 2 cups tomato sauce evenly over the cannelloni. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup grated Parmesan over top. Bake the cannelloni for 20 minutes and let it stand for 10 minutes before serving. Serve the cannelloni with extra tomato sauce from the baking dish and garnish with fresh basil.
• To make fresh pasta dough: Mound the flour on a clean work surface. Hollow out the center making a well in the middle of the flour with steep sides. Break the eggs into the well. Add the salt, and olive oil to the hollow center and gently mix together with a fork. Gradually start incorporating the flour by pulling in the flour from the sides of the well. As you incorporate more of the flour, the dough will start to take shape. With your hands or a bench scraper continue working the dough until it comes together. If the dough is too dry, add a little water; if too wet or sticky, add a little flour. Begin kneading the dough and keep kneading until it becomes smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes. At this point, set the dough aside, cover it with plastic, and let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes. You can store the dough in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours, but allow it to return to room temperature before rolling it out. Divide the pasta dough into 4 even sections. Keep each section covered with plastic wrap or a clean towel while you work with each one. Flour the dough, the rollers of a pasta roller (or your rolling pin), your hands, and the work surface. If using a pasta machine: Flatten 1 of the of the dough pieces between your hands or with a floured rolling pin until it forms a thick oval disk. Dust the disk, the roller, and your hands with additional flour. Flour a baking sheet to hold the rolled out finished pasta. With the roller on the widest setting, pass the pasta through the machine's rollers a few times until it is smooth. Fold the dough over into 1/3, and continue to pass through a few more times until the pasta is smooth again. Begin adjusting the pasta machine settings to become thinner, passing the dough through a few times at each setting. If rolling the pasta by hand: Flatten a dough piece into a thick oval disk with your hands. Flour a baking sheet for the rolled out finished pasta. Place the oval dough disk on a floured work surface, and sprinkle with additional flour. Begin rolling out the dough with a floured rolling pin working from the center of the dough outwards, constantly moving the dough and lifting it to make sure it's not sticking.
• To make Simple Tomato Sauce: In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, and garlic and cook until soft and golden brown. Add the basil and cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes with their juices and bring to a boil, stirring often. Lower the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the sauce has thickened. With a potato masher, break up the tomatoes to achieve a sauce-like consistency. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and serve. Cook's Note: Tomato sauce will last 1 week in the refrigerator and up to 6 months in the freezer.

MUSHROOM, SAUSAGE, RICOTTA, AND BASIL CANNELLONI

Steps:

• 1. To prepare the mushroom filling, add oil to a large pan on the stovetop and set heat to medium/medium-low.
• 2. Add mushrooms and garlic and cook until brown (this could take anywhere from 8 to 20 minutes depending on your stove). Do not let the garlic burn! I'd rather take the time to let the mushrooms brown on a lower heat than having burnt, acrid tasting garlic. When mushrooms are done, remove to a separate bowl and set aside.
• 3. To prepare the sausage filling, saute sausage meat in a large pan on medium heat in the small amount of oil, breaking up the meat into small pieces as it browns.
• 4. Drain any oil from the pan and when the meat has lost its pink color. Add 1/4 cup of tomato sauce. Stir to combine and remove to a separate bowl and set aside.
• 5. To make the cheese mixture, combine all cheese ingredients in a medium-size bowl. You're now ready to assemble all the components and start rolling your egg roll cannelloni.
• 6. Prep the bottom of a large baking dish with 1/3 cup tomato sauce. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• 7. On cutting board or work surface, place one egg roll strip and in the center add 2 or 3 cooked mushrooms with garlic. This is layer one.
• 8. Top mushrooms with about 2 teaspoons of the ricotta mixture.
• 9. Now add about 2 teaspoons of the sausage mixture.
• 10. Top with a basil leaf.
• 11. Sprinkle with a pinch or two of mozzarella and Parmesan and roll this baby up.
• 12. Fold the backside of the egg roll over the top and the front side to meet the back. You should have about 1 1/4 inch overlap.
• 13. Place rolled cannelloni in the baking dish, seam side down.
• 14. Continue rolling. The assembly and rolling go quickly and by the time you're halfway through, you'll have it down to a science.
• 15. Top the cannelloni with most of the remaining tomato sauce.
• 16. Top with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
• 17. Bake uncovered for 35 minutes.
• 18. Let cool a bit and garnish with fresh basil. Serve warmed tomato sauce on the side.

ITALIAN SAUSAGE, SPINACH, AND RICOTTA CANNELLONI

Steps:

• In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and saute the onion until fragrant and translucent. Add the Italian sausage meat, breaking it up with the back of a wooden spoon and brown it until no longer pink, about 10 to 12 minutes. Drain the excess fat from the sausage meat, and set aside to cool. In a large mixing bowl stir together the drained and squeeze-dried spinach, ricotta, 1 1/2 cups Parmesan, eggs, cooled Italian sausage and onion mixture, salt, and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Place the oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the fresh pasta rectangles for 1 minute and remove with a slotted spatula. Set aside. In a 9 by 13-inch baking dish, spread 2 cups tomato sauce. Working with 1 pasta rectangle at a time, spread 6 tablespoons filling along one edge and roll the pasta sheet up tightly, leaving the ends open. Repeat until you have 8 cannelloni. Arrange the prepared cannelloni, seam-side down, in a single layer in the baking dish. Spoon the remaining 2 cups tomato sauce evenly over the cannelloni. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup grated Parmesan over top. Bake the cannelloni for 20 minutes and let it stand for 10 minutes before serving. Serve the cannelloni with extra tomato sauce from the baking dish and garnish with fresh basil. To make Simple Tomato Sauce: In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, and garlic and cook until soft and golden brown. Add the basil and cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes with their juices and bring to a boil, stirring often. Lower the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the sauce has thickened. With a potato masher, break up the tomatoes to achieve a sauce-like consistency. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and serve. Cook's Note: Tomato sauce will last 1 week in the refrigerator and up to 6 months in the freezer.

CREAMY SAUSAGE-MUSHROOM RIGATONI

Steps:

• Cook rigatoni according to package directions., Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook sausage over medium heat 4-6 minutes or until no longer pink, breaking into crumbles; drain and remove sausage from pan., In same skillet, heat butter over medium heat. Add mushrooms, garlic, salt and pepper; cook, covered, 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover; cook and stir 2-3 minutes or until mushrooms are tender and liquid is evaporated., Stir in cream; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cook, uncovered, 8-10 minutes or until slightly thickened. Return sausage to skillet; heat through. Drain pasta; serve with sauce. If desired, sprinkle with parsley.

CANNELLONI WITH SPINACH AND MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Cook cannelloni tubes according to package direction; drain and set aside to cool.
• SAUCE--------------.
• In a medium size saucepan, heat olive oil on medium-high heat.
• Add chopped onion and saute' until just softened, about 4 minutes.
• Add chopped mushrooms and continue to saute' for another 3 minutes.
• Stir in tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, oregano, basil, parsley and water and bring to boil.
• Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• FILLING--------------.
• In another medium-size saucepan, melt margarine or butter on medium heat.
• Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute mixing continuously.
• DO NOT BURN OR LET THE FLOUR GO LUMPY.
• Gradually stir in milk and cook on medium heat, stirring continuously until a smooth and thick sauce is formed.
• Stir in Ricotta cheese and Parmesan cheese, and continue to cook until the cheese has melted.
• Remove from heat and stir in drained, chopped spinach, beaten egg, ground nutmeg and salt.
• Carefully stuff each pre-cooked cannelloni tube with spinach mixture using a small spoon; set aside.
• CAREFUL NOT TO SPLIT THE COOKED TUBES.
• Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.
• In a 9" x 9" oven-proof casserole dish, spoon 2/3 of the sauce mixture over the bottom.
• Place stuffed tubes in a single layer into the sauce.
• Spoon remainder of the sauce over the tubes.
• Sprinkle with grated Mozzarella cheese and grated Parmesan cheese.
• Tightly cover with aluminum foil; place in preheated 350 F oven and bake for 20 minutes.
• Remove aluminum foil and continue to bake for an additional 10 minutes or until sauce is bubbling and a nice golden crust forms.
• Serve hot.

BASIL AND RICOTTA CANNELLONI

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Lightly coat a rimmed baking sheet with oil. Working in three batches, drop pasta into boiling water, stirring to ensure it doesn't stick. Cook until pliable but still retaining some chew, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or mesh spider, transfer, one at a time, to oiled pan and lay flat, turning to lightly coat. Drizzle with additional oil as necessary to prevent sticking.
• Return water to a boil; add onion and cook until bulb is tender and greens are still bright, about 4 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer to a colander. Add basil to boiling water and cook just until bright, 30 seconds; drain and transfer to colander with onion, reserving 1/4 cup blanching water. Firmly press onion and basil to remove as much liquid as possible; transfer to a cutting board and finely chop. Place in a medium bowl and stir in ricotta, yolks, lemon zest, half of the Pecorino Romano, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt; season with pepper. Stir thoroughly to combine. (Filling can be made 1 day ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container.)
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a broilerproof 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Lay a square of pasta on a clean work surface; spoon 3 tablespoons ricotta mixture in a line about 1 inch away from and parallel to a short edge. Roll pasta up to enclose filling, making a tube about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Repeat with remaining pasta squares and filling. Place cannelloni snugly in buttered baking dish, in a single layer of three rows of six. Stir reserved blanching water into cream, lightly season with salt and pepper, and spoon over cannelloni. Carefully tear zucchini blossoms in half lengthwise and drape a half-blossom over each cannellono. Sprinkle remaining Pecorino Romano over pasta to cover; lightly drizzle with oil. Bake, uncovered, until cannelloni are bubbling and hot in centers, about 15 minutes. Turn oven to broiler setting; broil until golden brown on top, about 5 minutes more. Let cool slightly before serving.