I miss Sir G’s. While I usually got the conchiglie, the rest of my family loved the cannelloni. Even my cousin, who lives in the cities, used to bring his wife up to Ely for their anniversary tradition of a cannelloni dinner. I was unsuccessful in tracking down the authentic recipe, but I made a solid attempt at a copycat version, or at least from the point of view of a German-Finn.
I tried making this more like the old way, how I tasted it as a child. In recent years, many of the recipes changed, and the cannelloni began featuring a slice of prosciutto wrapped inside each roll. While I liked that idea, I never tasted it that way, so I went with what I remembered. You can add the prosciutto if you wish. You can also use your own red sauce recipe if you have a favorite.
The part I most closely nailed was the “alla panna” sauce, which translates from Italian to “with cream.” I always wondered how they could get it so light and airy. I have made plenty of white sauces before, yet none featured that glorious foam. A simple whirl in the blender yielded a result that was just as frothy as I remembered from the beloved local restaurant.
For the pasta, I used all-purpose flour because that’s what I had on hand. You can also use bread flour, but the 00 variety is generally preferred for pasta sheets. You can also use store-bought fresh pasta sheets, if available. If the pasta becomes too tough when re-rolling, knead in a few drops of water. Cover and let rest in a warm place for 15-30 minutes.
Copycat Cannelloni
Ingredients:
Filling:
8 ounces ground pork
8 ounces ground beef
1 teaspoon salt (divided)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper (divided)
2 cloves minced garlic
15 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese
4 ounces shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup ground ham
1/4 cup packed thawed & drained frozen spinach (squeezed dry)
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Red Sauce:
Reserved beef and pork mixture
2 cans tomato sauce (15 ounces each)
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh tomato (peeled and seeded)
1 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 pinch of salt, if necessary
Pasta:
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling (see notes)
1/2 tablespoon salt
6 large eggs
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons lukewarm water (or as needed)
White Sauce:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk, warmed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Garnishes:
Reserved red sauce
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for sprinkling
Fresh basil leaves (optional)
Instructions
Filling:
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the pork and beef. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cook until browned, crumbling as finely as possible with a potato masher. Add garlic and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and drain off any excess grease, then let cool. Divide the mixture in half, and set one half aside for the sauce. Place the other half in a large bowl. Add the ricotta, mozzarella, ham, spinach, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and nutmeg. Mix thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours or overnight.
Red Sauce:
Add all ingredients to a large pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Continue simmering for 30 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaves. Set aside, keeping warm.
Pasta:
Pour the flour into a pile on a large countertop. Mix in the salt. Make a deep well in the center. Lightly beat the eggs and pour them into the well. Add the oil and water. Slowly mix the flour into the egg mixture until combined. Knead for 5 minutes or until smooth, adding a bit more water or flour, if necessary. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes. Once rested, roll as thinly as possible, dusting with additional flour as needed. Cut the pasta into 5 inch by 5 inch sheets, re-rolling scraps as necessary. You should have 12 sheets with a few scraps left over. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add pasta sheets, 1-2 at a time, and boil for 15 seconds. Remove to an ice bath for several seconds, then drain on a tea towel. Do not skip the parboiling. Once all sheets are boiled, take one at a time and set on a clean work surface. Take 1/4 cup of the filling and form into a log. Place at one end of the pasta sheet and roll tightly. Place the seam-side down onto an oiled platter. Repeat with the remaining pasta sheets and filling. Cover with a damp towel.
White Sauce:
In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour. Whisking constantly, cook for 1 minute, then turn the heat to medium-low. Slowly stream in the warm milk, whisking vigorously. Once all the milk is added, season with salt. Continue cooking until the mixture begins to steam and lightly coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and whisk in the Parmesan cheese. Let cool for 5 minutes, then blend (in batches, if necessary) on high speed for 30 seconds. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a large casserole dish or several small casserole dishes. Pour a thin layer of white sauce into the bottom of each dish. Top with cannelloni. Pour the white sauce over the pasta until it just covers the tops of the rolls. Most of the sauce will absorb during baking. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned on top. Once it comes out of the oven, top with a little more white sauce.
Garnishes:
Spoon a little red sauce over the center of each serving. Sprinkle lightly with Parmesan cheese. Garnish with basil leaves, if desired.
Yield: 4-6 servings (2-3 cannelloni per serving).
