The Unofficial Cook

 

This was my first time to cook Cannelloni.  My first taste of this was when my cousin had just come back from studies in the US and prepared it for one family gathering during our teens.  My cousin is really a gifted man in the kitchen.  It’s a trait he got from his godmother I was told…umm… by  his godmother…. who happens to be my Mom.

Back then, everyone swooned over how good this was since most of us hadn’t tasted it before.  I’ve had it a few times since then, but never thought of making it myself because I was intimidated.  Cannelloni sounds like a lot of work but isn’t really. There’s a lot of steps in the preparation, but they’re not at all delicate or difficult in anyway.  Besides, the results are worth it.

The combination of the ricotta with the spinach, tomato sauce with basil and rosemary and fontina cheese was excellent.  There’s a delicate sweetness to this dish I only tasted once before in a stuffed pasta shell dish of one restaurant.

It’s a home-style Italian restaurant in Cheyenne, Wyoming called Avanti Ristorante Italiano. They serve excellent Italian food, never touted as authentic, just home-style.  If you find yourself passing through the Cowboy State in the future, make a stop at Avanti. I guarantee, it will be worth it.

For planning purposes, I made one full recipe and have another dish sitting in my refrigerator for another day.  It should keep about 5 days.  Freezing is not recommended because the Bechamel Sauce will separate.

Spinach Cannelloni with Fontina Tomato Sauce:

1 tsp. olive oil

2 tbsps. minced shallots

1 can (28 or 32 oz.) whole italian tomatoes

2/3 c. water

1/2 tsp. chopped parsley

1/2 tsp. dried rosemarya few basil leaves, torn

1/4 tsp. salt

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium high heat.  Add the shallots and cook 1 minute.  Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.  Simmer for 25-30minutes.  Set aside.

Crepes:

3/4 c. water

3/4 c. milk

3 large eggs

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 1/2 c. all purpose flour

1 tsp. vegetable oil for brushing pan

Process all crepe ingredients except the flour and vegetable oil, at low speed in a blender.  Add the flour and process until smooth.  Lightly coat a 6-inch nonstick skillet with oil, over medium high heat 1 minute.  Pour 2 tbsps. batter into skillet, tilting to coat bottom. Cook 1 minute or until crepe sets on top and begins to brown on the bottom.  Invert onto a plate.  Repeat, stacking crepes.  Cover and set aside.

Bechamel Sauce:

2 tbsps. butter or margarine

3 tbsps. minced shallots

3 tbsps. all purpose flour

1/2 c. heavy cream or whipping cream

1 c. milk

1/4 tsp. salt

2 ounces fontina cheese, cut up

Melt butter in small saucepan over medium-high heat.? Add the shallots and cook 1 minute.  Stir in the flour, cook another minute.  Stirring constantly (a wire whisk is best for this), add the milk, cream and salt  gradually as you whisk.  TIP:  Put the liquids and salt in measuring cup with a lip to make pouring easier.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 1 minute.  Stir in cheese until melted.  Cover and set aside.

Filling:

2 bags fresh spinach, steamed, chopped and strained rained

1 tsps. garlic

1 32 oz. container ricotta cheese

1 large egg yolk

1/2 c. freshly grated parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp. salt.

1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper

Heat 1 oil and saute garlic over medium  heat.  Add garlic and cook 2 minutes.  Add spinach and saute 3 minutes.  Combine this with rest of ingredients in a large bowl.

Assembly:

Heat oven to 375F.  Cover bottom of shallow 4-quart baking dish with 1 cup of tomato sauce.  Spoon 1/3 c. of filling along center of each crepe, roll up and transfer to baking dish, arranging it so you have 2 4-crepe rows. 

Spoon 1 more cup of tomato sauce over crepes.  Cover with bechamel sauce and bake 25-30 minutes. Cool at least 10 minutes before serving.