Veal cannelloni (cannelloni di vitello)

• serves

  8

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  1:10 hour

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra, for pasta 
• 2 onions, finely chopped 
• 5 garlic cloves, crushed 
• 1 long red chilli, seeded, chopped 
• 1.25 kg minced veal 
• 250 g mortadella, chopped 
• 4 slices bread, crusts removed, torn into pieces 
• 1 tbsp finely chopped sage 
• 1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg 
• 1 cup (250 ml) chicken stock 
• 1 egg 
• 40 g (½ cup) grated parmesan, plus extra, to serve 
• 8 large (about 24 cm long) pasta sheets, each cut in half 
• 2 x 700 g jars passata

Instructions

To make filling, heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onions, garlic and chilli, and cook for 3 minutes or until soft. Add veal and cook, breaking up lumps for 10 minutes or until browned. Add mortadella, bread, sage and nutmeg, and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until well combined. Stir in stock, cover, then reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat and cool for 10 minutes.

Place veal mixture in a food processor and process until very finely chopped. Transfer to a bowl and stir in egg and parmesan. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until cold; mixture should be firm but moist.

Preheat oven to 170°C. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil. Fill a large bowl two-thirds with iced water and add a little oil.

Working with 2 pasta squares at a time, cook pasta for 1 minute or until soft, then chill in iced water. Working with 1 pasta square at a time, place pasta on a work surface. Spoon ¼ cup veal mixture onto each pasta square and roll up to enclose. Spread 1 jar of passata in the base of a 35 cm x 30 cm baking dish. Top with the cannelloni, seam-side down, in a single layer in 2 rows. Combine remaining jar of passata with 750 ml water and pour over cannelloni. Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes until pasta is heated through. Scatter with extra grated parmesan to serve.

Drink 2010 Carpineto Dogajolo Sangiovese Cabernet Blend, Italy ($15)

As seen in Feast magazine, Issue 9, pg78.

Photography by Derek Swalwell.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.