Pumpkin Ricotta Basil Cannelloni Recipes

PUMPKIN CANNOLI RECIPE - (4.5/5)

Steps:

• DIRECTIONS FOR FILLING: Line a strainer with cheesecloth. Place the ricotta in the strainer over a bowl, and cover with plastic wrap and a towel. Weight it down with a heavy can, and let the ricotta drain in the refrigerator for several hours to overnight. In a bowl with electric mixer, beat ricotta and mascarpone until smooth and creamy. Beat in confectioner's sugar, pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla and blend until smooth. Transfer to another bowl, cover and chill until it firms up a bit. (The filling can be made up to 24 hours prior to filling the shells. Just cover and keep refrigerated). For the Shells In the bowl of an electric stand mixer or food processor, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in the oil, vinegar, and enough of the wine to make a soft dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and well blended, about 2 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest in the fridge from 2 hours to overnight. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Starting at the middle setting, run one of the pieces of dough through the rollers of a pasta machine. Lightly dust the dough with flour as needed to keep it from sticking. Pass the dough through the machine repeatedly, until you reach the highest or second highest setting. The dough should be about 4 inches wide and thin enough to see your hand through Continue rolling out the remaining dough. Oil the outside of the cannoli tubes (You only have to do this once, as the oil from the deep fry will keep them well, uhh, oiled..lol). Roll a dough oval from the long side (If square, position like a diamond, and place tube/form on the corner closest to you, then roll) around each tube/form and dab a little egg white on the dough where the edges overlap. (Avoid getting egg white on the tube, or the pastry will stick to it.) Press well to seal. Set aside to let the egg white seal dry a little. In a deep heavy saucepan, pour enough oil to reach a depth of 3 inches, or if using an electric deep-fryer, follow the manufacturer's directions. Heat the oil to 375°F (190 °C) on a deep fry thermometer, or until a small piece of the dough or bread cube placed in the oil sizzles and browns in 1 minute. Have ready a tray or sheet pan lined with paper towels or paper bags. Carefully lower a few of the cannoli tubes into the hot oil. Do not crowd the pan. Fry the shells until golden, about 2 minutes, turning them so that they brown evenly. Lift a cannoli tube with a wire skimmer or large slotted spoon, out of the oil. Using tongs, grasp the cannoli tube at one end. Very carefully remove the cannoli tube with the open sides straight up and down so that the oil flows back into the pan. Place the tube on paper towels or bags to drain. Repeat with the remaining tubes. While they are still hot, grasp the tubes with a potholder and pull the cannoli shells off the tubes with a pair of tongs, or with your hand protected by an oven mitt or towel. Let the shells cool completely on the paper towels. Place shells on cooling rack until ready to fill. Repeat making and frying the shells with the remaining dough. If you are reusing the cannoli tubes, let them cool before wrapping them in the dough. When ready to serve..fill a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain or star tip, or a ziplock bag, with the ricotta cream. If using a ziplock bag, cut about 1/2 inch off one corner. Insert the tip in the cannoli shell and squeeze gently until the shell is half filled. Turn the shell and fill the other side. You can also use a teaspoon to do this, although it's messier and will take longer. Press or dip cannoli in chopped pistachios, grated chocolate/mini chocolate chips, candied fruit or zest into the cream at each end. Dust with confectioner's sugar and/or drizzles of melted chocolate if desired.

BASIL AND RICOTTA CANNELLONI

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Lightly coat a rimmed baking sheet with oil. Working in three batches, drop pasta into boiling water, stirring to ensure it doesn't stick. Cook until pliable but still retaining some chew, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or mesh spider, transfer, one at a time, to oiled pan and lay flat, turning to lightly coat. Drizzle with additional oil as necessary to prevent sticking.
• Return water to a boil; add onion and cook until bulb is tender and greens are still bright, about 4 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer to a colander. Add basil to boiling water and cook just until bright, 30 seconds; drain and transfer to colander with onion, reserving 1/4 cup blanching water. Firmly press onion and basil to remove as much liquid as possible; transfer to a cutting board and finely chop. Place in a medium bowl and stir in ricotta, yolks, lemon zest, half of the Pecorino Romano, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt; season with pepper. Stir thoroughly to combine. (Filling can be made 1 day ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container.)
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a broilerproof 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Lay a square of pasta on a clean work surface; spoon 3 tablespoons ricotta mixture in a line about 1 inch away from and parallel to a short edge. Roll pasta up to enclose filling, making a tube about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Repeat with remaining pasta squares and filling. Place cannelloni snugly in buttered baking dish, in a single layer of three rows of six. Stir reserved blanching water into cream, lightly season with salt and pepper, and spoon over cannelloni. Carefully tear zucchini blossoms in half lengthwise and drape a half-blossom over each cannellono. Sprinkle remaining Pecorino Romano over pasta to cover; lightly drizzle with oil. Bake, uncovered, until cannelloni are bubbling and hot in centers, about 15 minutes. Turn oven to broiler setting; broil until golden brown on top, about 5 minutes more. Let cool slightly before serving.

PUMPKIN RICOTTA CANNELLONI

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the pumpkin and sweat over low heat until they start to soften. Add the garlic and 1/2 cup water, then cover and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes or until pumpkin is tender. Drain, cool slightly, then place in a food processor with the sage, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Process until smooth, then place in a bowl with the cottage, and spinach.
• Preheat the oven to 180°C Grease a 20 x 27cm ovenproof dish.
• To make the sauce, melt the margarine in a saucepan over low heat. Add the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the milk, edam cheese and sage, whisking well until smooth. Cook over very low heat until thickened. Stir in 1/4 cup walnuts and season with salt and pepper.
• Place a portion of the mixture in the middle of each lasagna piece. Roll up to enclose. Place seam side down in the dish. Pour half the sauce into dish, then sit the filled tubes on top. Cover with the remaining sauce and sprinkle with the remaining parmesan. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until golden. Serve garnished with the remaining walnuts.