The Sopranos Cannelloni Recipes

THE SOPRANO'S CANNELLONI

Steps:

• TO ASSEMBLE.
• 11/2 pounds homemade or store-bought fresh pasta, such as fresh lasagne sheets.
• Cut into 4-inch squares.
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.
• PREPARATION.
• Prepare the bechamel and set aside. To make the filling, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the meats and garlic and cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until the meat is no longer pink. Tip the pan and spoon off the excess fat. Stir in the spinach and 1 cup of the bechamel sauce. Taste for salt and pepper. If the sausage is highly seasoned, you may not need any. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly, then stir in the cheese. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt to taste. Have ready a large bowl of cold water, and spread out some lint-free (not terry cloth) kitchen towels on a flat surface. Add the pasta squares to the pot a few at a time and cook less than 1 minute; they should be slightly underdone. Scoop the pasta out of the pot and place it in the cold water until cool enough to handle, then lay the pasta squares out flat on the towels. Continue cooking and cooling the remaining pasta in the same way. Preheat the oven to 350°F Butter two 11 x 8 x 2-inch baking dishes. To assemble the cannelloni, spread a thin layer of sauce over the bottom of each baking dish.

CANNELLONI (SOPRANO'S STYLE)

Steps:

• Filliing:.
• Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the meats and garlic and cook, stirring frequently until no longer pink.
• Tip the pan to spoon off the excess fat.
• Stir in the spinach and 1 cup of the bechamel sauce; add salt and pepper to taste.
• Remove from heat and let cool slightly, then stir in 1 cup of parmigiano reggiano.
• Cook pasta until slightly underdone; placing in cold water until cool enough to handle, then lay flat on lint-free towel.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees; butter 2 11 x 8 x 2 inch baking dishes.
• Cannelloni:.
• Spread a thin layer of sauce over the bottom of the baking dishes.
• Spread some of the filling over each pasta square, leaving 1/2 border on one side. Starting at the opposite side, loosely roll and place seam-side down in the baking dishes.
• Spoon the remaining sauce over the pasta.
• Sprinkle with cheese.
• Bake 30 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling and the top is golden brown. Serve hot.
• (The cannelloni can be assembled up to 1 day ahead. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate after completely assembling. You will need to bake longer than 30 minutes).

CANNELLONI

Steps:

• First make the stuffing. In a deep skillet cook the onion, celery and carrot in the olive oil over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes, or until softened. Add the garlic and cook the mixture, stirring, 1 minute. Add the veal, pork and beef and cook, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink. Add the wine, reduce for 1 minute and stir in the broth. Add the herbs, bay leaf and salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer, covered, 15 minutes. Uncover and reduce until almost dry. Discard bay leaf. Transfer mixture to a bowl and let cool. Mix in egg yolks until well combined. Meanwhile, in a saucepan set over moderately low heat melt the butter, add the flour and whisk the mixture for 2 minutes. Add the milk, nutmeg and salt and pepper and simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until thickened. Stir in 1/2 cup of the Parmesan and the parsley. In a bowl combine the meat mixture with the cheese and parsley sauce. Make the tomato sauce and stir in the heavy cream.
• Now, make the pasta. Cut the dough crosswise into 5-inch lengths. In a pot of boiling salted water cook the noodles, a few at a time, for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, or until they are al dente, transferring them as they are cooked to a bowl of cold water. Spread the noodles in one layer on paper towels to drain. Spoon 1/4 cup of the filling down the center of one noodle, roll the noodle to enclose the filing, and transfer the cannelloni, seam side down, to a well-buttered gratin dish.Continue to make cannelloni with the remaining noodles and filling in the same manner, arranging them in one layer. Ladle the sauce over the cannelloni and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan. Bake at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes or until bubbling. Run under the broiler about 4 inches from the heat, for 2 minutes, or until golden.

BEEF CANNELLONI

Steps:

• For the filling, dry-fry the beef in a non-stick pan on a medium-high heat, breaking up with a wooden spoon until browned - about 10 mins. Remove and set aside. Add the oil and cook the onion for 5 mins, until soft. Add the garlic for 1 min more, then tip in the beef and 1½ jars of the passata sauce and the sugar. Simmer for 20 mins while you make the white sauce.
• Heat the butter in a small pan. When foaming, stir in the flour for 1 min. Add the milk gradually, stirring all the time to achieve a lump-free sauce, then bubble for 2 mins while stirring. Remove from the heat and stir in the soft cheese with seasoning until dissolved. Set aside, covered with cling film to stop a skin forming.
• To assemble, pour the remaining tomato sauce into the base of 2-3 large baking dishes or 12 individual ovenproof dishes or foil containers. Spoon the beef into the cannelloni tubes using a teaspoon and lay on top of the sauce. Pour on the white sauce, then sprinkle with Parmesan. If freezing, allow to cool, then freeze wrapped well in cling film. To eat straight away, heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and cook for 40-45 mins until the pasta is tender and topping golden. Defrost frozen cannelloni thoroughly, then cook as above for 50 mins-55 mins (or see tip).

CANNELLONI

Steps:

• In a large skillet, saute onion in olive oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in spinach. Cook about 5 minutes or until all the water has evaporated and the spinach starts to stick to the pan, stirring constantly,. Transfer to a large bowl. , In the same skillet, brown meat; drain and add to spinach mixture. Stir in the cheese, cream, eggs, oregano, salt and pepper; mix well. Set aside., Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions; drain. Cut each noodle in half widthwise; spread out noodles side by side on a large piece of foil. Place 1 heaping tablespoon of filling at one end of noodle; roll up. Repeat with remaining noodles and filling., Pour about 1 cup of tomato sauce in the bottom of a 13x9-in. baking dish. Place two rolls, seam side down, vertically on both sides of the baking dish. Place remaining rolls in four rows of three rolls each; set aside. , For cream sauce, melt butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat; stir in flour until smooth; gradually add milk and cream. Bring to a boil, cook and stir for 1 minute or until thickened. Remove from heat; season with salt and pepper. Spread cream sauce over lasagna rolls. Cover with remaining tomato sauce. Sprinkle with cheese. , Bake at 375°, uncovered, for 20-30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.