Cannelloni, a tube-shaped dry pasta, is made from semolina flour and often stuffed with various fillings like Bolognese sauce, seafood, poultry, or vegetables. Its name derives from the Italian word “canna,” meaning tube or pipe, and “lone,” implying a large size. When preparing cannelloni, preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and grease a 20 x 30 cm (8 x 12 inch) baking dish. If using fresh pasta sheets for cannelloni, the filling should be placed along the short end of the pasta sheet. Once filled, place the cannelloni in the dish, and for a final touch, scatter mozzarella and Parmesan on top before baking for 35–40 minutes.
Creating a delicious cannelloni dish involves browning ground beef in a skillet, adding onions and garlic, and cooking for 3-5 minutes. After preparing the sauce with tomatoes, seasoning, and simmering, spoon the beef into cannelloni tubes and lay them on top of the sauce in the dish. Unlike cannelloni, manicotti, another pasta variety, has a different shape and filling.
For those unable to find cannelloni shells in stores, it’s worth noting that traditional homemade cannelloni doesn’t require pre-cooking, as it softens when baked. This makes it a convenient and versatile option for various recipes.
