2 tbl spn olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
½ red capsicum, finely diced
½ carrot, finely grated
1 garlic clove, crushed
500g chicken breasts or tenderloins, diced finely
1 tsp dried Italian herb mix
1 cup ricotta cheese, past through a sieve
1 tbl spn Parmesan cheese, grated
½ cup fresh basil, chopped
1 tbl spn flat leaf parsley, chopped
12 Cannelloni tubes
- Heat oil in pan add the onion, capsicum, carrot and garlic, cook until onion softens
- Add the diced chicken, stir in cooking for a few minutes till browned all over, add herbs and mix in
- Transfer mixture to a bowl, allow to cool a little then add in ricotta, Parmesan, basil and parsley mix well together and season with cracked pepper and a little salt
- Spoon filling into a piping bag and pipe into cannelloni tubes
Tomato Sauce Ingredients
1 tbl spn olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
½ red capsicum, finely diced
1 garlic clove, crushed
1-2 field mushrooms, enough to make about 1 cup finely sliced and chopped
1 x 440g can diced tomatoes
1 cup chicken stock
- Pre-heat oven to 180C
- Heat oil in pan and gently cook onion for a few minutes
- Add the capsicum, garlic and mushroom, cook for a few minutes until capsicum has soften and mushrooms are well coated
- Add the can of tomatoes and chicken stock, bring to the boil stirring cook for a couple of minutes
- Cover pan and place in oven, let it cook while you prepared the béchamel sauce and fill the cannelloni tubes
Béchamel Sauce Ingredients
25g butter
1 tbl spoon plain flour
½ cup milk
½ cup cream
¼ cup parmesan cheese
knob of butter
- Combine milk and cream in a bowl and heat to almost boiling point
- Melt 25g butter in a saucepan over moderate heat
- Remove saucepan from heat and add the flour, stir with wooden spoon until you have a nice even paste
- Return pan to heat and gradually add the warmed milk whisking as you go untill all milk is incorporated
- Gently bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer allowing to cook for a few minutes
Bringing it all together
- Remove tomato sauce from oven and transfer to a mixing bowl, puree with a barmix or blender
- Pour enough tomato sauce into a casserole dish to cover the bottom, arrange the meat filled Cannelloni in the dish in one even layer
- Pour over the remainder of the tomato sauce
- Take the béchamel sauce of the stove and add ¼ cup of grated parmesan cheese and a knob of butter mix in well
- Pour béchamel over the top of the tomato sauce as evenly as possible
- Finely grate a tasty cheese over the top
- Bake in the oven @ 180C for 35- 40 minutes.
