Incredibly Delicious Cannelloni with Meat Filling

by Karen Ekstrom

Cannelloni with Meat Filling 

Ingredients:

4 T. butter, halved

2 T. flour

  • ¼ cups milk, heated

Pinch of cayenne pepper

1 (8 oz.) package mozzarella cheese, shredded

½ cup onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 carrot, grated

2 T. olive oil

1 lb. ground beef, cooked and drained

¼ lb. pork sausage, cooked and drained

1½ tsp. salt

½ pepper

½ cup dry red wine

1 cup beef broth

1 T. tomato paste

2 egg yolks, beaten

¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese

8 manicotti shells, cooked

 

Directions:

Melt 2 T. of butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan.  Stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly.  A paste will form.  Cook it until bubbles, but don’t let it brown. (approximately 2 minutes)

In a separate saucepan, warm the milk on low heat until bubbles begin to form at the edges.  Remove from heat.

Add the hot milk to paste, continuing to stir as the sauce thickens. Bring it to a boil. Add salt and pepper to taste.  Lower the heat, and cook, stirring for 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove from the heat. (You have just made an old-world White Sauce. The basis for many dished.)  Add mozzarella cheese. Stir. Set sauce aside.

Sauté onion, garlic, and carrot in hot oil for 3 minutes. 

Add cooked and drained beef and sausage.  Add salt, pepper, wine, broth, and tomato paste. Cover and cook over low heat for 1 hour, stirring regularly.

Drain meat and reserve wine sauce.  Cool.

Mix with eggs yolks and half the Parmesan cheese.

Stuff shells with mixture.  Place in stuffed shells in a single layer in casserole dish.

 Pour wine sauce over them.

Pour white sauce over the stuffed shells and wine sauce.

Sprinkle with rest of Parmesan cheese. Dot with butter.

Bake in 350-degree oven for 20 minutes or until cheese bubbles.

Serves 4  

(But I always double the recipe.  It’s too much work not to!  Plus, this freezes well.) 

 

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2 comments

Bonnie December 25, 2021 - 12:31 am

These manicotti were a huge hit at our Italian Christmas Eve dinner. I made it as a change from our traditional cheese filled with red sauce for some of the family who wanted something new. I used a Syrah wine for the sauce. Next time I will make a double batch and make extra sauce! Thanks for the great recipe!

Reply
Karen Ekstrom December 25, 2021 - 10:48 am

I’m so delighted you enjoy it. (It’s a winner with my family too.) Happy Holidays!

Reply

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