Baked Cannelloni
I have
discovered that the best way to make this excellent supper dish is to buy fresh
sheets of lasagne
that don't need pre-cooking.
Serves : 4
Ingredients:
8 Fresh Lasagne Sheets (weighing
about 6oz / 175g)
5oz / 150g Mozzarella,
diced
1½oz / 40g Finely Grated Parmesan (Parmigiano Reggiano), plus a
little extra to serve
FOR THE FILLING:
8oz / 225g Minced Pork
1 Dessertspoon Chopped Sage
Leaves
3½oz / 95g Mortadella or Unsmoked
Bacon
2 Level tbsp Freshly Grated Parmesan (Parmigiano Reggiano)
2 tbsp Chopped Fresh Parsley
Leaves
3oz / 75g White Bread without crusts,
soaked in 2 tbsp Milk
1 Large Egg
A Little Nutmeg
Salt and Freshly
Milled Black Pepper
FOR BÉCHAMEL SAUCE:
1 Pint / 570ml
Milk
2oz / 50g Butter
1¼oz / 35g Plain Flour
1 Bay Leaf
Good Grating of Whole Nutmeg
2½ floz / 65ml Double Cream
Salt and Freshly
Milled Black Pepper
Instructions:
1.
First make
the filling by placing all the ingredients into the bowl of a food processor
and blending everything on a low speed until thoroughly combined. If you don't have
a processor, chop everything as finely as possible with a sharp knife and blend
it with a fork.
2.
Wrap in clingfilm and chill for about 30 minutes to firm up.
3.
Next make
the sauce by placing the milk,
butter, flour, bay leaf, nutmeg and
seasonings into a medium-sized saucepan over a medium heat, then, whisking all
the time, slowly bring it up to simmering point until the sauce has thickened.
4.
Then turn
the heat down to its lowest setting and let the sauce simmer for about 5
minutes, then remove the bay leaf, stir in
the cream, taste to
check the seasoning, cover and leave aside.
5.
Now
pre-heat the oven to Gas Mark 4 / 350°F / 180°C, then cut the lasagne sheets in half
so that you have 16 pieces.
6.
Next
divide the meat mixture in half and then each half into 8, then
lightly roll each of these into a sausage shape about 3 inches / 7.5cm long.
7.
Place each
one on to a piece of lasagne
and roll it up, starting from one of the shorter edges. As you do this, arrange
them in the baking dish with the join underneath – what you should have is two
rows neatly fitting together lengthways in the dish.
8.
Now pour
the sauce over and scatter the Mozzarella cubes
here and there.
9.
Finally,
scatter the Parmesan
over the top and place the dish on the centre shelf of the oven to bake for 40
minutes, by which time it should be golden brown and bubbling.
10.
Then
remove it from the oven and let it settle for about 10 minutes before serving.
11.
Finally,
sprinkle a little extra Parmesan
over.
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