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ITALIAN RECIPES

Cannelloni, also known as Manicotti

Manicotti with Ricotta and Sausages

Ingredients:

2/3 pound (300 g) commercially prepared cannelloni shells
1 egg
Salt
1 1/4 pounds (500 g) fresh ricotta
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano
3 mild pork sausages, about 1/2 pound (225 g)
2 tablespoons lard, butter, or prosciutto fat
1/4 of a small onion, equivalent volumes celery and carrot, and 1 tablespoon parsley, minced
2-3 tablespoons tomato paste, diluted in water
Butter

Preparation:

Put the ricotta through a strainer and into a bowl, seasoning it with a good pinch of salt, the grated Parmigiano, and a beaten egg. Mix well.
Prick the sausages well and set them to cook in water to cover; once the water has evaporated brown them in the grease that they'll have given off, then peel them, crumble them, and stir them into the ricotta mixture.

Finally, sauté the minced herbs in the lard or butter until the onion is lightly browned, stir in the tomato paste diluted in water, season the mixture lightly with salt and pepper, and simmer it for 5 minutes or so, adding a little more water if it begins to dry out.

While the sauce is simmering roll out the dough if you're starting from scratch, and cut it into 3 by 4-inch rectangles. Once the pasta is cut cook it a few pieces at a time in abundant lightly salted water (if you're using commercially prepared shells follow the directions on the package). Remove the pasta from the water with a slotted spoon while it's still rather al dente, and lay the pieces on a damp cloth taking care lest they be touching and stick.

In the meantime, preheat your oven to 250 F (170 C).
You are now ready to fill your cannelloni: lay some of the filling along the long edge of the first sheet, roll it up to make the cannelone, and place it in a well buttered, elegant baking dish. Repeat the procedure until pasta and filling are all used up. Pour the sauce over the cannelloni, dust them with more grated Parmigiano and dot them with butter, and heat them through for about 20 minutes.
The wine? I'd go with a light zesty red, for example a Chianti d'annata or a Bardolino.
Serves 6.

Pork-filled Manicotti Provençal Style

Ingredients:

3/4 pound (300 g) commercially prepared cannelloni or manicotti shells
1/2 cup (packed) dried porcini, soaked 20 minutes in 1/2 cup hot water
1 1/4 pounds (550 g) lean pork, cubed
1 bunch (about a pound, 450 g) fresh spinach
1/3 cup unsalted butter
A small onion, minced
A medium carrot, minced
A 6-inch stalk celery, minced
A small bunch parsley, minced
Salt & pepper to taste
1/2 cup dry Marsala (or sherry if you have no Marsala)
2 heaping tablespoons tomato paste diluted in 1/2 cup water
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano
Freshly grated nutmeg to taste

Preparation:

Rinse the spinach well, discard the roots, and heat it in a pot until it wilts, then squeeze out the excess moisture, chop it coarsely, and sauté in 2 tablespoons butter.
Mince the remaining herbs (carrot, onion etc.) and brown them lightly in 2 tablespoons butter.

When they have browned add the pork and continue cooking until it is browned too, then stir in the soaked mushrooms. Stir in the Marsala and the diluted tomato paste, season to taste with salt, pepper and nutmeg, reduce the heat to a low simmer, and simmer for an hour, adding more water if necessary to keep the sauce from thickening overmuch.

While the sauce is simmering roll out the dough if you're starting from scratch, and cut it into 3 by 4-inch rectangles. Once the pasta is cut cook it a few pieces at a time in abundant lightly salted water (if you're using commercially prepared shells follow the directions on the package). Remove the pasta from the water with a slotted spoon while it's still rather al dente, and lay the pieces on a damp cloth taking care lest they be touching and stick.

When the sauce is done, remove the pot from the fire and transfer the meat and mushrooms to a bowl, leaving the sauce in the pan. Crack the remaining egg into the bowl, add the chopped spinach and the grated cheese, a hint of nutmeg, 2 tablespoons of the sauce in the pan, and mix thoroughly.

Preheat your oven to 350 F (175 C).
You are now ready to fill your cannelloni: lay some of the filling along the long edge of the first sheet, roll it up to make the cannelone, and place it in a well buttered, elegant baking dish. Repeat the procedure until pasta and filling are all used up.

When you are done making the cannelloni, spoon the remaining sauce from the pan over them, together with a little water, dust them well with grated cheese and dot them with a little butter, and bake them for about a half hour, which will give the flavors time to meld.
The Wine? I'd go with a medium-bodied red, for example a Rosso di Franciacorta, an unoaked Barbera, or a Chianti Classico.
Serves 6.

Cannelloni with Olives and Bell Peppers

Ingredients:

For the pasta & filling:
10 no-preboil cannelloni shells
1/2 of a red bell pepper
1/2 of a yellow bell pepper
1/2 of an orange bell pepper
1/2 of a green bell pepper
A leek
3/4 pound (350 g) ricotta
A pinch of dried or fresh mint
An egg
1/2 cup (50 g) bread crumbs
3/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
For the béchamel sauce:
1 pint (500 ml) milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup flour
A pinch of salt
A pinch of nutmeg
1 ounce (25 g) pitted black olives, sliced into rings
1 ounce (25 g) pitted green olives, sliced into rings
A walnut-sized chunk of butter

Preparation:

Begin with the filling: Cut the white part of the leek into rounds, and discard the green section. Julienne the peppers. Sauté the leek in the butter, and when it has begun to color add the peppers and mint. Simmer until the peppers are done, adding a little more water if need be to keep them from drying out. Let the mixture cool, then combine it with the ricotta, egg, bread crumbs, and a half cup of the Parmigiano. Mix well and check seasoning.
Prepare the béchamel sauce.

Preheat your oven to 400 F (200 C).
Now assemble the dish: Take an oven-proof dish, butter it, and pour two ladles of béchamel sauce over the bottom. Stuff the shells with the stuffing and put them in the dish. Stir the olives into the remaining béchamel sauce, and pour the sauce over the cannelloni. Dust with the remaining Parmigiano and bake for 40 minutes; should the cannelloni look like they're overbrowning, cover them with a sheet of aluminum foil.

Buon appetito!

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