Cannelloni Fiorentina Recipes

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain, separate shells, and set aside.
• Preheat oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C). In a 9 x 13 baking dish, combine veal, carrots, celery, chopped half onion and spinach. Stir well. Stir in 1 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 2 tablespoons olive oil and white wine. Place in oven and roast until veal is brown and vegetables are soft, 30 to 40 minutes. Stir frequently. If meat begins to smoke, reduce heat to 400 degrees (200 degrees C).
• Let meat mixture cool 15 minutes, then process in food processor until finely chopped. Return to pan and stir in cream, Roma tomatoes, Parmesan, Italian seasoning and 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil. Bake 20 minutes more. Remove from oven and let cool.
• While meat mixture is cooling enough to handle, make tomato sauce. Puree canned tomatoes with their juice in food processor until smooth. In large skillet over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons virgin olive oil. Saute garlic and chopped onion until soft. Stir in pureed tomato, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Cook 5 to 10 minutes, or until no longer watery. Add four chopped basil leaves and cook 1 minute more.
• Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Stuff pasta shells with cooled meat mixture, 2 to 3 tablespoons per shell. Place shells in clean 9 x 13 baking dish. Pour tomato sauce over shells and bake 20 minutes, or until sauce is bubbly.

Steps:

• MEAT FILLING: Heat oil in a medium saucepan, add the onion and garlic, cook until tender.
• Add meat and cook until browned.
• Add oregano, basil, 2 tsp tomato paste, and cook uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring.
• Add chopped spinach and combine.
• Combine egg and cream, stir into meat mixture and season. Set aside.
• TOMATO SAUCE: Heat oil in the pan, add the onion and garlic, cook until tender.
• Add the puréed tomatoes, tomato paste, seasonings and simmer for 10 minutes, covered. Remove from heat and set aside.
• BÉCHAMEL SAUCE: Place sliced onion and peppercorns in the milk, bring slowly to the boil, remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes.
• Melt butter in a saucepan, add the flour first made into a thin paste (roux) to the saucepan.
• Strain the milk, discarding the onions and peppercorn, and slowly add to the saucepan whisking until it thickens, then add the cream and season to taste with salt and pepper -- set aside.
• ASSEMBLY (Once cooled): Cook the pasta according to package directions, then plunge into cold water to stop the cooking. Drain. Stuff the cooled meat mixture into the tubes - using either a small spoon or clean hands. I find it easy using disposable gloves. to fill them.
• Spread 3 tablespoons of the tomato sauce over the base of a large shallow dish, then arrange the filled cannelloni side-by-side over the sauce.
• Spoon the Béchamel Sauce over the cannelloni and then cover with the tomato sauce.
• Sprinkle the grated cheeses evenly on top and bake uncovered at 350ºF/175ºC for 30-35 minutes.
• Serve with Salads, Crusty bread and a nice glass of red wine.

Steps:

• Combine ricotta, spinach, egg, 1/2 the parmesan and seasonings; mix well.
• Fill cannelloni tubes with this mixture.
• Spread 1/2 the pasta sauce in a baking pan and arrange stuffed cannelloni in single layer over it Cover the cannelloni with the remaining sauce, making sure to cover all pasta Sprinkle with remaining parmesan.
• Cover with foil and bake at 350 for about 45 minutes.

Steps:

• MARINARA SAUCE: In a large pot. Sauté onion until caramelized. Add garlic and sauté for 2 minutes more. Add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, water, sugar, basil, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, and black pepper. Bring to a boil. Simmer sauce for 2 to 3 hours, the longer cooking time the better, stirring occasionally. Discard bay leaves. Stir in parsley and turn off heat. This Marinara Sauce recipe can be substituted for 8-9 cups of jarred marinara sauce.
• MEAT FILLING: In a large skillet, sauté red onion, celery, and carrot in olive oil on medium heat until softened. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Add beef and sausage. Cook, stirring occasionally, until meat is no longer pink. Drain liquid and grease. Add wine and reduce for 1 minute. Stir in beef broth. Add Italian seasoning, bay leaf, and black pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Uncover, and reduce until almost dry. Discard bay leaf. Set aside to cool.
• PARSLEY SAUCE: Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium low heat. Whisk in flour for 2 minutes. Whisk in milk and nutmeg. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until thickened. Stir in parsley and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.
• Transfer the cooled Meat Filling to a large bowl. Mix in the Parsley Sauce. Set aside to cool.
• PASTA: Note: I used 2 (8 ounce each) boxes of Ronzoni Manicotti Pasta, which are 14 pieces (14 pasta tubes) per box. I usually fill only 21 pasta tubes, but I cook all 28 just in case. Cook cannelloni noodles according to package directions until al dente. Make sure to thoroughly salt the water before adding pasta to prevent sticking. After draining pasta, drizzle with a little olive oil to prevent sticking. Transfer to a large piece of parchment paper. Spread pasta in one layer not touching each other to prevent sticking.
• Place 1/3 of the cooled meat and parsley sauce into a food processor. Pulse or blend until a smooth texture is achieved, about 2 minutes. Repeat with remaining mixture until all filling ingredients are processed. Transfer meat mixture to a large bowl. Mix in 2 egg yolks.
• PARMESAN CREAM SAUCE: Melt the butter in a double boiler or a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water over medium low heat. Whisk in flour for 2 minutes. Whisk in heavy cream and Parmesan cheese. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until thickened.
• ASSEMBLY: Cover bottom of large baking dish with 1/4" Marinara Sauce. Spoon filling into a cannelloni noodle with a small spoon. Place the cannelloni into the baking dish. Repeat with remaining cannelloni, arranging in a single layer. Ladle the remaining Marinara Sauce on one side of the cannelloni, leaving the other half of each tube without sauce. Spread the Parmesan Cream Sauce on the other half of the cannelloni.
• TOPPING: Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Cover pan with aluminum foil. Bake at 375F degrees for 45 minutes, or until bubbling.