Beef cannelloni
Cannelloni is a classic Italian dish, great for feeding a crowd and for preparing ahead in one dish. The filling is mince with extra mozzarella 鈥 delicious!
Equipment and preparation: You will need an oblong, shallow 1.8 litre/3录 pint ovenproof dish.
Ingredients
For the cannelloni filling
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, 铿乶ely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, 铿乶ely grated
- 400g/14oz lean beef mince
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 300ml/陆 pint beef stock
- a few drops Worcestershire sauce
- 4 heaped tbsp tomato pur茅e
- 1 tbsp freshly chopped thyme
For the tomato and basil sauce
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 onions, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
- 1 tbsp tomato pur茅e
- 陆 tsp sugar (optional)
- small bunch fresh basil, leaves chopped
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
To assemble
- 16 dried cannelloni pasta tubes
- 1 x 125g ball mozzarella, sliced
- 55g/2oz Parmesan, grated
Method
To make the cannelloni 铿乴ling, heat the oil in a frying pan over a high heat. Add the onion and fry for a few minutes. Add the garlic and beef mince and fry until browned, breaking up with two wooden spoons as it fries.
Sprinkle over the flour and stir well. Mix in the stock, Worcestershire sauce and tomato pur茅e, then add the thyme. Cover with a lid and leave to simmer over a low heat for about 30 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, to make the tomato and basil sauce, heat the oil in a saucepan over a high heat. Add the onions and fry for 5 minutes.
Add the garlic and fry for 10 seconds. Pour in the tomatoes, tomato pur茅e, 150ml/录 pint water and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cover and leave to simmer over a low heat for about 30 minutes.
Taste the sauce and add the sugar if it is a little sharp. Check the seasoning and stir in the basil. Spoon one-third of the tomato sauce into the base of the dish.
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
Using a teaspoon, 铿乴l each cannelloni tube with the cold mince 铿乴ling. Arrange the cannelloni in a single layer in the dish. Spoon the remaining sauce on top.
Scatter the mozzarella and Parmesan over the top and cook for about 35鈥40 minutes, until the pasta is soft and the cheese has browned. Serve hot with a green salad on the side.
Recipe Tips
This dish can be made and assembled up to 8 hours ahead of time. It also freezes well before final cooking.