Named cannelloni in Italy, this tasty stuffed pasta dish is known in North America as manicotti. The word cannelloni literally means ‘a big pipe’ and manicotti loosely translates as ‘a big sleeve‘.
The origin of Cannelloni dates back to around 1907, when Nicola Federico, a well-known chef from Naples, Italy, invented this pasta. He created it while working at the La Favoria, a popular restaurant in Sorrento, Italy. Initially, this tubular pasta was called ‘strascinati’, which soon came to be known by the name that is popular today …. cannelloni. It gained popularity when the residents of Naples fled to Sorrento, during World War II, which is when they got introduced to this pasta. Although the origin of cannelloni is relatively recent, its enormous versatility and delicious flavor has quickly made it a classic in the kitchen worldwide.
Currently, between traditional recipes and modern and creative reinterpretations, in Italy it is possible to come across hundreds of variations that present sauces, flours and in general always different ingredients and characteristics.
Being pasta lovers, cannelloni definitely works for Brion & I.
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- 100 gm leeks, green & white parts, chopped finely
- 200 gm mushrooms, chopped finely
- 170 gm (about 6 slices) bacon (fat removed), chopped finely
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
- 3 Tbsp butter,
- 3 Tbsp flour
- 4 cups milk
- 285 gm Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
- salt & pepper to taste
- Smoky Ranchero seasoning to taste
Ingredients
Filling
Gorgonzola Sauce
Pasta
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- Chop washed leek, mushrooms & bacon. Fry all together with garlic in oil for a few minutes then place in a bowl with the parsley (if using) to cool.
- Melt butter in a saucepan, add the flour & mix for a few minutes until it forms a paste. Slowly pour in the milk a little at a time & stir as you cook it to the consistency of a thin custard. Simmer for 5 minutes, add crumbled gorgonzola & simmer until melted & incorporated. Add 1/2 cup to the filling, season with salt, pepper & smoky ranchero seasoning.
- Preheat oven to 325 F.
- Stuff the cannelloni with the filling. Spread a small amount of gorgonzola sauce in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Place cannelloni on top. Pour the gorgonzola sauce over the top of the cannelloni.
- Cover dish with foil & bake 60-65 minutes. Remove from oven & serve.
- If you wish, save a small amount of the gorgonzola to sprinkle on top after pouring the sauce over the cannelloni before baking it.