We are starting the cannelloni..you need a red sauce to begin. This recipe has been doubled for two casseroles. It is a process and labor of love to make cannelloni, but it is absolutely worth every minute it takes to make it.
Cannelloni
1 boiled chicken deboned and shredded
Tomato Sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
4 cups diced petite tomatoes
1 cup water
1 can tomato paste
2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
Cook the onions in the olive oil until they are soft and not brown. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, water, basil, sugar and salt. Simmer on low for about an hour or until the sauce is thick.
Cannelloni Filling
½ cup finely chopped onions
1 garlic clove finely chopped
2 ten ounce packages of frozen chopped spinach which has been defrosted and squeezed completely dry.
4 tablespoons butter
Shredded chicken meat from boiled chicken
½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
½ cup heavy cream
4 eggs (beaten)
1 teaspoon oregano
Salt and pepper to taste.
Cook the onions, add the garlic and cook until soft in the butter. Stir in the spinach and cook for about 3 – 4 minutes. Transfer mixture to a large bowl and add the shredded chicken, parmesan cheese, cream and beaten eggs. Stir together, add oregano, salt and pepper.
Besciamella Sauce
1 ½ sticks of butter
¾ cup flour
2 cups milk
2 cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons salt
In a large saucepan, melt the butter over moderate heat. Remove from heat and stir in the flour. Pour in the milk and cream, whisking constantly until flour is dissolved. Transfer back to high heat and whisk constantly until the sauce comes to a boil and is smooth. Reduce the heat and simmer 2 to 3 minutes until sauce is thick enough to coat the wires of the whisk heavily. Remove from heat.
Assembling the Cannelloni
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Fill the cannelloni with the chicken mixture. Place a film of tomato sauce in a 10 x 14 inch shallow baking dish. Lay the cannelloni side by side in one layer of tomato sauce. Pour the besciamella sauce over the cannelloni and spoon the tomato sauce on top. Place two tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese on top and dot with one tablespoon of butter.
Bake the cannelloni uncovered on the middle shelf of the oven for about 20 minutes or until cheese melts and sauce is bubbling.
Tips on preparing the cannelloni. As I said earlier, this is truly a labor of love. It is best to divide the preparation into steps and complete over two days unless you have about 8 hours of time to devote to it in one day. I usually cook my chicken and make my tomato sauce on day one. I make the filling for the cannelloni and the besciamella sauce on the second day as well as assemble it. This freezes beautifully. I also recommend if you are going to take the time to make one cannellonni, you make several at the same time.
TEP's Southern Style 