Stuffed cannelloni are not only delicious, but it's also fun to make them, you can even get the whole family involved to fill these pasta rolls. There are a thousand variations of the classic vegetarian filled cannelloni recipe, but if you really want to know the original one, take a look at the steps below.
Ingrediants
Juice
- 3 tablespoons of olive oil
- 8 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 3 tablespoons of extra-fine sugar
- 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
- 4 cans of 400g tomato puree
- Basil leaves
Stuffed with Ricotta
- 230g spinach
- 500g ricotta
- 1 egg
- 3/4 teaspoon of salt
- 1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground pepper
- 10 cannelloni
- Parmesan, a few sprinkles to put on top
Mascarpone cover
- 250g mascarpone
- 3 tablespoons of milk
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Make the Gravy
Step 1. Heat three tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet
While the pan is heating up, crush eight garlic cloves and add them to the oil. Stir the garlic into the oil for a minute or until it starts to soften.
If you are short on time, you can choose to use ready-made tomato sauce. The ready-made tomato, garlic and basil sauce is ideal for this recipe
Step 2. Add the vinegar, sugar and tomatoes to the pan
These ingredients make up a large part of the gravy. Turn down the heat and let it cook over low heat for about 20 minutes. Make sure you stir the gravy every now and then so it doesn't burn to the bottom.
Step 3. Add the basil
Once the sauce is ready after cooking over low heat, you can add the basil, give it a good stir and then set the sauce aside. You can leave it in the pan or put it in a container if you plan to make cannelloni later.
You can also separate the sauce into two baking pans if you prefer the sauce to be under the cannelloni. Or, you can pour half of the sauce into the baking sheet and the other half keep it to put on top
Step 4. Make the mascarpone cover
This is an optional step, but highly recommended. Put 250g of mascarpone in a medium-sized bowl. Add three tablespoons of milk and whisk the ingredients together. Add toppings of your choice and then keep the topping aside.
Part 2 of 3: Insert the filling into the Cannelloni
Step 1. Turn on the oven at 204 ° C
While the oven heats up, fill a pot of water. Add a pinch of salt and bring the water to a boil. Don't cook the cannelloni completely, you just have to soften them a little. Put the cannelloni in the water when it boils. Cook them for a few minutes. They should begin to soften and, at the same time, hold their shape.
You can also use squares of pasta instead of traditional cannelloni. Cook them just as you would cannelloni
Step 2. Rinse the spinach
Once washed, do not dry them. Transfer them to a skillet and cook them over medium-high heat. Stir the spinach until it wilts, which should take about a minute. Once wilted, put them in a colander and crush them with the back of a spoon to let the liquid out.
If you're short on time, you can use a package of frozen sliced spinach. Simply put them in the microwave and then put them in a colander and mash them with the back of a spoon to release the liquid
Step 3. Place the spinach on a cutting board
Chop them up using a suitable knife. Spinach is part of the filling, so the more cut it is, the smoother and more homogeneous the filling will be.
Step 4. Put the ricotta in a medium bowl
Add the spinach to the ricotta. Use a large wooden spoon to mix the ingredients until a creamy mixture is created. Add salt and pepper to your liking. Once you have seasoned the filling to your liking, add an egg and mix. If you don't plan on using the filling right away, cover it with foil or plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator.
There are many variations to prepare the filling of cannelloni. You can add various ingredients including pine nuts, a pinch of nutmeg, or roasted vegetables
Step 5. Cut the corner of a large resealable bag
It will be the tool with which you will fill the cannelloni. If by chance you have a pastry bag you can use it. Pour the ricotta filling into the plastic bag. Gently squeeze the bag so that the filling is inserted into the cannelloni.
If you choose to use the dough squares, leave them flat. Use a spoon to put the filling on the dough in a straight line in the center. Roll the dough around the filling
Part 3 of 3: Cook the Cannelloni
Step 1. Place the cannelloni next to each other
They should not sit on top of each other, but perfectly aligned side by side (this way you can put as many cannelloni in each soda as possible without the pasta sticking).
Step 2. Pour the topping over the cannelloni
If you choose to make the mascarpone one, pour it over the cannelloni. Pour in the rest of the sauce and sprinkle with the Parmesan.
If you want, you can pour half of the sauce over the cannelloni and store the rest in a container. When the cannelloni are cooked, heat the rest of the sauce and let the diners serve themselves, as they like, with a spoon to add the sauce to the cannelloni
Step 3. Cover the baking soda with aluminum foil
Put it in the oven and cook for 20 minutes. Once the 20 minutes have passed, remove the aluminum foil and continue cooking for another 20 minutes or until the surface turns golden.
Step 4. Remove the cannelloni from the oven
Let them rest for five minutes before serving. Enjoy them!
Step 5. Finished
Advice
- If you can't find ready-made cannelloni, you can use lasagna pasta: blanch it until soft enough to roll.
- Children, if they are familiar with cooking, could be fantastic volunteers to put the filling in cannelloni.
- The range of possible fillings is as wide as your imagination. Try different sauces, fillings and combinations.
