Ingredients: |
Ingredients: 1 box manicotti noodles
Canneloni:
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 tsp. chopped garlic
1 10-oz. pk. frozen, chopped spinach, defrosted, squeezed completely dry, then chopped again
2 tbsp. butter
1 lb. ground round steak
5 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp. heavy cream
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
salt & freshly ground pepper
Tomato sauce
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cups canned tomatoes
3 tbsp. tomato paste
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
freshly ground pepper
Béchamel sauce
6 tbsp. butter
6 tbsp. flour
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup milk
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. white pepper
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Directions: |
Directions:Cannelloni: Heat oil in heavy skillet, add onion and garlic and cook until they are soft, not brown. Stir in spinach and cook until moisture has boiled away and the spinach sticks lightly to the pan. Transfer spinach to a large bowl. Melt 1 tbsp. butter in the same skillet and lightly brown ground beef. Stir and break up any lumps. Add meat to onion and spinach. Add the 5 tbsp. Parmesan cheese, 2 tbsp. cream, 2 eggs and 1/2 tsp. oregano. Mix all together and season with salt & pepper, to taste.
Tomato Sauce: In an enameled steel saucepan heat olive oil. Add onions and cook until soft but not browned. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, sugar, salt & pepper. Simmer over low heat, partially covered, for about 40 minutes. Press the sauce through a fine sieve or a food mill into a bowl. Reserve. You need 3 cups of sauce.
Béchamel sauce: In a large saucepan melt butter over moderate heat. Add 6 tbsp. flour and then slowly add milk and cream, stirring constantly with a whisk. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cook until sauce is thick enough to coat the wires of the whisk heavily. Add salt & pepper.
To assemble and bake: Pour just a little of the tomato sauce into two 10x14 baking and serving dishes. Fill the cooked manicotti noodles with the spinach/meat mixture, lay side-by-side in one layer on the tomato sauce. Spoon cream sauce over it, then spoon the rest of the tomato sauce on top. Scatter over 2 tbsp. of Parmesan cheese, dot with 2 tbsp. butter cut in tiny pieces. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling.
Can be made as much as 2 days ahead of time, covered with aluminum foil and refrigerated. |
Personal
Notes: |
Personal
Notes: Aunt Dot made cannelloni for me when I was 13 and visited her in Lisbon and it has been a favorite meal of mine ever since. Filling the soft manicotti noodles can be frustrating, so when I moved to Germany, I was very happy to discover that there are manicotti noodles that you don't have to precook!
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