Cannelloni
Cannelloni
Tomato Sauce
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
4 cups canned tomatoes, coarsely
chopped (reserve liquid)
6 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
Black pepper
Heat oil in a 2- or 3-quart saucepan until a light haze forms over it
Add onion and cook until soft
Add tomatoes with liquid and other remaining ingredients
Reduce heat to very low and simmer for 40 minutes with pan partially covered
Stir occasionally
Blend tomato mixture in blender and taste for seasoning
Correct if necessary
May be made up to a week before serving and stored in refrigerator
Makes 3 cups
Meat Filling
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 (10 oz) package frozen chopped
spinach, thawed, squeezed dry
1 tablespoon butter
1 pound ground round beef
5 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons whipping cream
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon oregano
Salt and pepper
Heat oil in skillet
Add onion and garlic
Cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently, for 7 to 8 minutes until soft
Stir in spinach and cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly
When all the moisture has cooked away, transfer to large mixing bowl
Melt butter in same skillet and lightly brown meat, stirring
Add meat to spinach mixture
Add cheese, cream, eggs and oregano
Mix and season with salt and pepper
Besciamella
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
2 cups whipping cream
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
In a heavy 2- or 3-quart saucepan melt butter over moderate heat
Remove from heat and stir in flour
Add milk and cream all at once, stirring constantly with whisk
When the sauce comes to a boil and is smooth, reduce heat
Simmer, still stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes or until sauce is thick enough to coat the whisk wires heavily
Remove from heat and season with salt and white pepper
1 (1 pound) box lasagna noodles
4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
To assemble cannelloni, cook lasagna until done
Cut each whole lasagne noodles into 3 equal sections
Pour a light film of the tomato sauce into 2 (14 x 10-inch) shallow baking dishes
Place 1 tablespoon of the meat filling on the bottom third of each of the pasta rectangles and roll them up
Lay the cannelloni side by side, seam-side-down, in 1 layer on the tomato sauce
Pour besciamella over cannelloni and spoon the remaining tomato sauce on top
Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the assembled cannelloni and dot with butter
Cannelloni may be assembled to this point the day before serving, then refrigerated until time to heat and serve
It may be wrapped and frozen
When ready to cook, bake cannelloni in 375 deg F oven uncovered for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and sauce bubbling
Variation
Use tufoli or manicotti, cut in half after cooking, for pasta
For a complete meal, serve with a crisp tossed salad, a loaf of Italian bread and fresh fruit
Serves 8 to 9
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