Canataloni
A recipe served to us while at a dinner party. It was so tasty I had to ask for the recipe. This recipe freezes well.
A recipe served to us while at a dinner party. It was so tasty I had to ask for the recipe. This recipe freezes well.
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
- 2 tablespoons parsley chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- -- filling --
- 2 cups half-and-half cream
- 1/4 cup onion chopped
- 1 large jar ragu sauce
- -- shells --
- 1 12-oz. box jumbo shells cooked and drained
- 1 1/2 pouns ground beef
- 5 tablespoons parmesan cheese
- 1 10-oz. package frozen chopped spinach thawed and well drained
- -- white sauce --
- -- ragu --
- Carbohydrate 29.8169024980392 g
- Cholesterol 38.3109375256758 mg
- Fat 13.2378346540271 g
- Fiber 4.44896481912422 g
- Protein 5.48388851023282 g
- Saturated Fat 8.2225474452529 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (325g)
- Sodium 127.010408707009 mg
- Sugar 25.367937678915 g
- Trans Fat 0.863112067835852 g
- Calories 251 calories
Step-by-step
- Cook shells and set aside.
- Brown meat and onion together.
- Add all other filling ingredients.
- Stuff shells.
- Place shells in a 9x13-inch pan.
- Make the white sauce and pour over shells.
- Pour the Ragu sauce over the shells.
- Bake covered for 45 minutes at 350?.
- Melt butter.
- Add flour and pepper, stirring until smooth.
- Remove from heat.
- Stir in half-and half.
- Bring to a boil stirring constantly.
- Boil one minute more.
Traditional cannelloni relies on delicate pasta cylinders that tear easily during filling. Jumbo pasta shells offer a sturdier vessel while holding an identical ratio of meat and spinach filling. Compact kitchens require strategic equipment choices for baking large pasta casseroles.
Equipment Management and Roux Mechanics
A standard 9x13-inch metal baking pan conducts heat aggressively and may scorch the bottom layer of pasta. Ceramic or glass baking dishes provide gentler, more even heat distribution for the 45-minute bake time at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. When preparing the white sauce, whisk the butter and flour mixture over medium-low heat until it smells nutty before slowly streaming in the half-and-half to prevent lumps. Removing the pan from the heat entirely during dairy incorporation keeps the sauce smooth.
Fresh spinach requires rigorous manual squeezing in a clean kitchen towel to expel excess moisture that would otherwise water down the meat filling. Frozen spinach yields a predictable moisture level once thawed and pressed firmly. If substituting fresh herbs for dried parsley and oregano, triple the volume because dried herbs concentrate flavor during the drying process.
- Thaw frozen spinach completely and press it in a mesh strainer to prevent a watery casserole interior.
- Cover the 9x13-inch pan tightly with aluminum foil for the initial baking phase to steam the pasta thoroughly.
- Freeze unbaked assembled portions for up to two months wrapped securely in plastic wrap and foil.
