Ever since having the amazing Chicken Cannelloni at Ca'n Mestre D'Aixa in Menorca last month, I have been craving cannelloni in any form 😋.
I came across this recipe in my vintage "Field of Greens" cookbook from almost thirty years ago.
Sourcing fresh pasta sheets is nigh on impossible in southern Maryland, so I improvised and bought spring roll wraps (6"x6"). "Heresy", you say, "why not make you're own fresh pasta sheets?". Yes, well, I will at some point but was not feeling I had the time or the inclination to do that on Monday! When I get around to it you'll be the first to know!
You can also use dried cannelloni tubes but at $1/oz on Amazon, I think NOT! Perhaps I'll find some on my next trip to the Big City.
TOMATO-FENNEL SAUCE
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
½ medium-size yellow onion, diced, about 1 cup
Salt and pepper
4 teaspoon fennel seed, ground
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/4 cup dry red wine
2 pounds fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and pureed, about 3 cups, OR
3 cups canned tomatoes with juice, pureed
I bay leaf
Add the onion to hot EVOO, add ½ teaspoon salt, freshly ground black pepper, and the fennel seed. Sauté over medium heat for about 5 minutes, then add the garlic and red wine, and simmer until the pan is nearly dry. Reduce heat to low, add tomatoes, ¼ teaspoon salt, and the bay leaf. Simmer for 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
THE FILLING
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
½ medium-size yellow onion, diced, about 1 cup
Salt and pepper
½ teaspoon fennel seed, ground
1 medium-size fennel bulb, quartered lengthwise, cored, and thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
½ cup dry white wine
3/4 lb of mushrooms (I used a combination of oyster & crimini. Use whatever you can find locally) thickly sliced, about 4 cups
2 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted (I use a cast iron skillet and shake until nuts are toasty and golden)
1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs: Italian parsley, marjoram, and thyme (I only had thyme)
3 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated, about 1 cup
½ pound ricotta cheese, about 1 cup
Sauté the onions in 1 Tbsp EVOO with 1/4 teaspoon salt, a few pinches of pepper, and the fennel seed, over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add the fennel, half the garlic, and sauté until the fennel is tender, about 5 minutes. Add half the wine and simmer until the pan is nearly dry. Transfer the fennel and onions to a bowl.
Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in the pan and sear the mushrooms over medium-high heat with ½ teaspoon salt and a few pinches of pepper. As the mushrooms cook, they release their juices; then the juices will evaporate and the mushrooms will begin to sear. At this point they'll begin to stick to the pan, but don't stir them. Cook over high heat until they're golden, then stir once and continue to sear for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the remaining garlic and stir again. Add the remaining wine and simmer until the pan is nearly dry.
Add the mushrooms, pine nuts, ricotta and Parmesan to the fennel mixture. Toss in half the fresh herbs. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
ASSEMBLING THE CANNELLONI
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Using either 6"x6" spring roll wraps or 2 fresh pasta sheets, (10 ounces) cut into 12, 4" squares (or comparable size to
accommodate the size of the pasta sheets), spread enough filling along the edge of each square so you can loosely roll as the filling will expand during baking.
Ladle half of the tomato sauce into the bottom of a (9-by 13-inch) baking dish. Place the cannelloni close together in the dish, seam side down, and ladle the remaining sauce over them. Use a pastry brush to spread the sauce evenly, particularly on the ends, making sure all the pasta is covered with sauce otherwise it will dry out. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until piping hot. Sprinkle the cannelloni with the reserved Parmesan and pop under the broiler until sizzling. Toss over remaining fresh herbs.
Tip: Add up to 1 teaspoon sugar after simmering to balance the flavor if the Tomato-Fennel
Sauce is too acidic.