Cannelloni, a classic Italian pasta dish, involves large tubes of pasta filled with a delectable mixture of ricotta cheese and spinach, topped with a rich tomato sauce. This dish not only offers a warm, inviting aroma upon baking but also delivers a heartwarming, soul-satisfying meal. To begin, prepare your cannelloni filling by mixing spinach, ricotta, most of the grated cheese, reserving a handful for the top, along with egg, salt, parsley, basil, oregano, and pepper.
In a large pot, cook pasta tubes until al dente, then transfer them to a bowl of cold water to halt further cooking. Once cooled, lay them on a flat surface for easy filling. For the filling, consider variations such as chicken liver, ham, and turkey breast pâté or a vegetarian option with aubergine and ricotta. Remember, for homemade cannelloni, boiling the pasta before stuffing isn’t necessary as it softens in the oven.
When assembling, pour half the tomato sauce into a large ovenproof dish, then fill each cannelloni tube with about two tablespoons of the mixture. Once filled, place the tubes in the dish, cover with the remaining sauce, and sprinkle with reserved cheese. For an authentic touch, use traditional Riscossa dry pasta, known for its quality since 1902.
Cooking cannelloni requires skill and care, especially when considering the pasta’s texture. If your dough is too soft and wet, add a little more flour, and if it’s too dry, add a little water at room temperature. The ideal cannelloni pasta measures approximately 7 cm / 3 inches long and 2 cm / 2/3 inches wide. Whether you make them from scratch or use store-bought, these tubes are perfect for a hearty, flavorful filling.
For an innovative approach, use a plastic water or soda bottle with a neck diameter equal to or smaller than the cannelloni tubes to simplify the filling process. This technique ensures each tube is evenly and generously filled. After baking, the cannelloni should be tender yet firm, encapsulating the rich and creamy filling inside.
Cannelloni’s origin might be hard to pinpoint geographically, but its long-standing presence in Italian cuisine is undeniable. As one of the first pasta shapes ever created, it holds a special place in culinary history and continues to be a beloved dish worldwide.
