Ah Fresh Pasta

I watched Rick Stein make this Leek Cannelloni
Of course to make it easier, just buy Cannelloni Tubes.
I decided to go all out and make fresh pasta. It really is so easy and very good.
Lovely colour, lovely fresh eggs.
There are a few components to this dish, but really one can multi-task and have them all going at once.

I spent a little bit of time in getting the flavours right and it paid off.
An excellent dish.
I thought it was a good entry for Ruth at Onceuponafeast
She has been running a weekly blogging event called Presto Pasta Nights
for the last couple of years.

 

This week it will be hosted by Pam at Sidewalk Shoes Have a look here next Saturday
So. You need to make
Tomato Sauce
Leek and Cannelloni filling
And Cheese sauce

If you want to make the pasta have a look here
Scroll down the post and use the Recipe in the food processor... very simple and quick
For your shopping list you will need the ingredients below
200 gms flour
2 whole eggs and 1 egg yolk
Pinch salt
Drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive oil

 It is great fun but if you can't be bothered just Go Shopping and buy
 Cannelloni Tubes.

So for the Tomato Sauce

2 tablespoons Olive oil
1 med onion peeled and chopped
2 clove garlic peeled and finely chopped
2 cans tomatoes
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
2 tablespoon sugar
4 tablespoons white wine vinegar


Heat a pan over med heat  add olive oil
Add onions and garlic
Cook gently till translucent and tender
Add tomatoes, break them up
Season with S & P, oregano and Red Chili flakes
Bring to boil and simmer gently till reduced by half

Meanwhile in a small pan heat vinegar and sugar
Bring to boil and reduce till syrupy

Add to reduced tomato mix
Simmer again for about 5 minutes
Taste and test for seasoning adjust if necessary
Put to one side

Leek and Ricotta Filling
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 leeks cleaned washed and finely chopped
250 gms ricotta
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 sprigs thyme, leaves removed and chopped
Little water

In another pan saute leeks gently in butter
Add garlic,  S & P and thyme
Add a little water and cook gently till soft.
Cool
Add to ricotta and mix well
Taste and once again adjust if necessary


Cheese Sauce
3 tbs unsalted butter
3 tbs plain flour
3 cups milk
1 small onion
5 cloves
2 bay leaves
8  black pepper corns


1 cup grated tasty cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

An extra cup of grated cheese for the topping

Peel and stud the onion with the cloves
Put into the milk along with the bay leaves and peppercorns
Warm through don't boil, strain
Meanwhile
Add butter to a pot
Melt and add flour and season with a little salt
Stir and cook for about 4 minutes to cook the flour out
Slowly add hot strained milk stirring all the time
We don't want lumps

When all the milk is added, let simmer for about 4 minutes
keep stirring so it won't catch on the bottom.
Take off the heat add cheese
Stir well taste and adjust seasoning if needed

So now we are ready to assemble
Heat oven to 200C
If you are using the fresh pasta on my blog

cut into squares and fill with filling otherwise
follow the manufacturers instructions, cook the tubes and fill

Roll up
For that amount of Pasta you will get about 14 squares

In a gratin dish
Place a good layer of tomato sauce
Then put filled cannelloni on top of sauce

The cover with cheese sauce

Sprinkle extra cheese on top
Place in hot oven and bake till bubbly and golden brown on top About 45 minutes

Serve with a nice salad.
This Caesar Salad is pretty good

Just make the following dressing

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, plus more for dressing the salad
4 garlic cloves
4 anchovy filets
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, or as needed
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 hard boiled egg yolk
! teaspoon salt
! teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Freshly ground pepper
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese,
plus a block of Parmigiano Reggiano for shaving

Combine Vinegar, Lemon juice garlic and anchovies in a food processor
Blend till smooth adding some of the 1/3 cup of olive oil
Add the mustard. hard boiled egg yolk Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper
and the remaining olive oil

Blend until smooth and creamy

Make some croutons.

These are really simple
Just cube some good white bread and pop naked into a 170C oven
Leave them to dry out and turn just golden.
Remove and pop into an airtight jar.
They should keep for a few days like this.
You can always pop them back into a 170C oven for a few minutes to refresh

The you will need some Cos/Romaine Lettuce
Break into bowl in large chunks
Throw over the croutons
Grated Parmesan cheese and toss with enough dressing to coat the leaves

Some shavings of Parmesan over the top.

Niiiice