Turns out, Italian comfort food takes relaxation to new levels. Three Meat Cannelloni Bake, as the name suggests, boasts literal pounds of delicious meat, from juicy, fatty beef to sweet, playful pork to delicate buttery veal mixed together in a cheesy herby sauce. Every layer of Three Meat Cannelloni Bake is awash in savory flavors, from rich tomato sauce to sharp parmesan cheese, to tender noodle sheets. If your mouth isn’t already watering, don’t worry. It will when you see this dish bubbling fresh out of your oven!
Ingredients
- butter, for greasing
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup onion, minced
- 1/2 cup celery, minced
- 1/2 cup carrot, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 12 ounces ground veal
- 12 ounces ground pork
- 12 ounces lean ground beef
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1 cup beef broth
- 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 bay leaf
- salt, to taste
- ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
- 3/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated and divided
- 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
- 2 egg yolks
- 4 cups tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 pound fresh pasta sheets, cut into 5-inch lengths
- water, for cooking pasta
Directions
Step 1 –Grease a gratin dish with butter
Step 2 –Heat the olive oil in a deep skillet.
Step 3 –Add the onion, celery, and carrot, cooking them over moderate heat until they are softened.
Step 4 –Add the garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Step 5 –Add the veal, pork, and beef. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is no longer pink, about 8-10 minutes.
Step 6 –Add the wine, and reduce it for 1 minute.
Step 7 –Stir in the broth.
Step 8 –Add the rosemary, Italian seasoning, bay leaf, salt, and pepper.
Step 9 –Bring the mixture to a boil.
Step 10 –Reduce the heat, cover, and let it simmer for 15 minutes.
Step 11 –Uncover and reduce the heat until the mixture is almost dry.
Step 12 –Discard the bay leaf. Set the mixture aside to let it cool, transferring it to a large bowl
Step 13 –Melt the butter in a saucepan set over moderately low heat.
Step 14 –Whisk in the flour for approximately 2 minutes until the raw flour smell dissipates and a paste forms.
Step 15 –Whisk in the milk, grated nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
Step 16 –Let it simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until it is thickened.
Step 17 –Stir in the parsley and 1/2 cup of the parmesan cheese.
Step 18 –Mix the egg yolks into the meat mixture.
Step 19 –Then, mix in the cheese and parsley sauce, and set it aside.
Step 20 –In a separate bowl, combine the tomato sauce and cream, and set it aside.
Step 21 –Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
Step 22 –Boil the noodles a few at a time until they are al dente. This should take only a minute or two with fresh pasta.
Step 23 –Transfer them to a bowl of cold water to shock them and stop the cooking process. Spread the shocked noodles in one layer on paper towels to let them drain.
Step 24 –Spoon 1/4 cup of the meat filling down the center of one noodle, then roll the noodle to enclose the filling.
Step 25 –Transfer the cannelloni, seam side down, to the well-buttered gratin dish.
Step 26 –Repeat with the remaining noodles and filling, arranging them in one single layer. Ladle the tomato sauce over the cannelloni.
Step 27 –Sprinkle the top with the remaining parmesan cheese.
Step 28 –Bake the cannelloni at 400 degrees F until the cheese is bubbling, about 10 minutes.
Step 29 –Place the cannelloni under the broiler about 4 inches from the heat for 2 minutes, or until golden.
Step 30 –Remove the cannelloni, sprinkle with herbs, and serve!
