Some time ago I made simple cannelloni – simple classic cannelloni w/ meat & tomato sauce & melted cheese on top. I think it isn’t anything fancy with these cannelloni: there are no extraordinary ingredients (e. g. special rare Italian cheese or so), there are no modern add-ons (e. g. any gluten-free pasta or so) … or whatever!
So let’s start & share the recipe!
I happen to have a wonderful casserole able to house 9 cannelloni. It’s perfect for 2 (w/ leftovers for the next day!) or 3 (w/o any leftovers!) or maybe even 4 (when nestling the cannelloni between substantial antipasto & substantial dessert!).
What do we need?
There are:
- cannelloni (of course!)
- minced beef (preferably organic!)
- tomato purée w/ bay leaf, dried Italian herbs, carrot, spring onions & garlic
- crushes tomatoes (canned!) w/ tomato purée & dried oregano
- buffalo mozzarella
- grated Parmesan (home-grated!).
Generally I use ready-to-use cannelloni w/o requiring any pre-cooking … you know: the tubes! There are also fresh (soft!) lasagne sheets in the fridge corner of your trusted food store: you may use these by filling w/ the meat mess & rolling up.
(… of course you may start preparing your own homemade cannelloni … However, in general we don’t have time for such experiments because we are working long hours …)
Let’s chop the spring onions & the carrot & press the garlic. Start frying w/ the help of olive oil, but only some drops … Mix the minced beef w/ the herbs & the tomato purée & add to the frying mess … Stir thoroughly until the mess is well done & soft. Discard the bay leaf. Set aside.
Now start mixing the tomato sauce. Whisk well & add the grated Parmesan. Set aside.
Classic cannelloni are made w/ béchamel sauce. I propose a cannelloni approach w/ tomato sauce … To be honest béchamel sauce is delicious, but always a little „heavy“, filling, overly creamy – therefore I prefer a light tomato sauce for my cannelloni (& my lasagna as well!).
!!! Latest moment now to start preheating your oven to 190°C fan !!!
Add some of the frying oil to your casserole & spread well. Add a solid layer of tomato sauce. Then start filling the cannelloni …
If your beef mess is done & soft (like mine!) it’s quite easy: just press a piece of cannelloni in the beef mess … & press … & press … The beef mess will go up by itself!
This method will work as long as any filling – if beef, if vegetables, if fish (or whatever!) – is soft i. e. not runny, not firm!
If it’s runny start thinking about how to thicken the filling – slightly.
If it’s too firm use a spoon or some sort of cone – it’s getting messy (belief me).
It is essential to prepare some more meat than you’ll need actually because you’ll have to fill also the last piece of cannelloni. What to do w/ the leftover meat? Just freeze it: it’s perfect Italian style minced beef – whenever you do the next spaghetti bolognese …
Line the cannelloni in the casserole.
Then cover the cannelloni w/ another solid layer of tomato sauce.
Then cover the tomato sauce w/ mozzarella slices.
Then put your casserole in the preheated oven … & about 30 min later …
The tomato sauce will get soaked up – that’s fine. We just have a sticky tomato mess all around the cannelloni.
Is it greasy? No – there’s only the fried meat & the mozzarella. It’s far less filling than cannelloni in béchamel sauce.
Enjoy!
- 9 cannelloni (w/o pre-cooking)
- 500 g minced beef
- 2 spring onions
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 carrot
- 1 bay leave
- 1/2 tsp dried Italian herbs
- 2 cans tomato purée (140 g)
- some olive oil
- salt & pepper
- 1 can crushed tomatoes (400 g)
- 1 can tomato purée (70 g)
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 40-50 g grated Parmesan
- 1 buffalo mozzarella (125 g)
- 1 casserole (32 cm)
- Preheat the oven to 190° C fan.
- Clean & trim & chop the spring onions & the carrot.
- Press the clove of garlic.
- Add minced beef, vegetables & herbs as well as the tomato purée in a pan & start frying.
- If it seems to dry add some olive oil (about 1 tsp!).
- After about 10 min everything should be well done & well mixed.
- Transfer to a bowl & set aside.
- Discard the bay leave.
- Grate the Parmesan.
- For the sauce mix all ingredients.
- Slice the mozzarella as thin as possible.
- Add some oil from the pan to the casserole & distribute on bottom & sides.
- Add a solid layer of the tomato sauce.
- Take one of the cannelloni & push it in the minced beef mess … & again … & again … The beef mess will start filling the pasta by itself.
- Lay the filled pasta in the casserole.
- Repeat for the next 8 cannelloni.
- Add another layer of tomato sauce.
- Distribute the mozzarella slices on top.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 min.
- Serve at once – attention: really, really hot!!!
