Cannelloni di Carne

 Cannelloni di Carne

Ingredients

For the Filling

• Ground beef: 400 g
• Olive oil: 20 g
• Onion, finely diced: 80 g
• Garlic, minced: 5 g (1 clove)
• Tomato paste: 20 g
• Salt: 6 g
• Black pepper: 2 g
• Parmesan cheese, grated: 50 g

For the Tomato Sauce

• Olive oil: 15 g
• Tomato passata: 700 g
• Salt: 5 g
• Black pepper: 1 g
• Dried oregano: 2 g

For the Béchamel Sauce

• Butter: 50 g
• All-purpose flour: 50 g
• Milk: 600 g
• Salt: 4 g
• Nutmeg: 1 g (optional)

For Assembly

• Dry cannelloni tubes: 250 g
• Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated: 50 g
• Mozzarella, grated: 150 g

Method

Step 1: Prepare the Filling

• Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
• Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until soft.
• Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
• Add the beef and cook until browned.
• Stir in the tomato paste, salt, and pepper.
• Cook for 2 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
• Mix in the Parmigiano cheese.

Let the filling cool before stuffing the cannelloni.

Step 2: Make the Tomato Sauce

• Heat the olive oil in a saucepan.
• Add the passata, salt, pepper, and oregano.
• Simmer gently for 15 minutes.
• Set aside.

Step 3: Make the Béchamel Sauce

• Melt the butter in a saucepan.
• Add the flour and whisk for 1 minute.
• Slowly add the milk while whisking continuously.
• Cook until the sauce thickens.
• Add the salt and nutmeg.

Remove from the heat.

Step 4: Fill the Cannelloni

• Place the meat filling into a piping bag or a plastic bag with one corner cut off.
• Fill each cannelloni tube from both ends until completely full.

This is much easier than using a spoon.

Step 5: Assemble

• Preheat the oven to 180°C.
• Spread half of the tomato sauce in the bottom of a baking dish.
• Arrange the filled cannelloni in a single layer.
• Cover with the remaining tomato sauce.
• Pour the béchamel evenly over the top.
• Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmigiano.

Step 6: Bake

• Cover loosely with foil.
• Bake for 30 minutes.
• Remove the foil.
• Bake for another 15 minutes until golden and bubbling.

Step 7: Rest and Serve

Let the cannelloni rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Beginner Tips

1. Don't overfill the cannelloni Fill the tubes completely, but don't pack the meat too tightly or they may split.

2. Use plenty of sauce Dry pasta needs moisture to cook properly. Make sure every tube is covered with sauce.

3. Cool the filling first Hot filling makes the cannelloni difficult to handle and can soften the pasta too quickly.

4. Cover for most of the baking This keeps moisture inside and ensures the pasta cooks evenly.

5. Test for doneness Insert a small knife into the center. It should slide through easily if the pasta is cooked.

6. Let it rest Just like lasagna, cannelloni cuts and serves much better after resting for 10 minutes.