Baked Cannelloni Pasta with chicken and cheese

What would I have to say about my vanishing act? You eager souls are wondering what can be the reasons. Oh this and that, then and when etc. …if I ever write my story …I mean ever... although doubtful, some chapters will definitely be on my vanishing act. Anyhow the exact reason is I was not keeping well. So, I didn’t feel like updating the blog. Although I did cook from time-to time, but updating the blog was not a priority at those terrible times. Anyhow slowly I am trying to figure out how to handle things. Hopefully will try to update this space more often. I can keep trying but I can’t promise.

I made this pasta recipe way back, but couldn’t post the recipe on time. This cannelloni pasta recipe was well received by my folks and also by my dear daughter’s school friends. I happen to pick this pasta while doing my grocery shopping and was intrigued. I found working with them little challenging as they tear out on a brink if extra pressure is applied. You have to work with gentle hands and be gentle with them like a true artist holds their paint-brush. Cooking this pasta is of course a piece of art. Anyhow I have used chicken and cheese stuffing for this recipe .Vegetarians don’t get disappointed, you can substitute it with spinach and ricotta cheese- absolutely delish material.

Here is how cannelloni pasta recipe we made

Baked Cannelloni pasta with chicken stuffing

Recipe requirements (serves 3-4 people)

• 12 – Cannelloni pasta

For the Chicken stuffing –

• Roasted chicken 2 cups- thin and small bite size pieces
•  1 large onion
•  1 medium potato
• 1 tomato
•  2-3 tsp of dried Italian herb seasoning (can use dried sage and dried rosemary)
•  3-5 heaped tbs of Pasta sauce

For Béchamel sauce –

• 3-4 tsp of butter
• 2-3 cups of milk
• 3-4 tbs of flour
• White pepper powder
• Quarter tsp of nutmeg powder
• ½ cup of mozzarella cheese
• some more to mozzarella to form the nice brown crust
• 2 free range eggs
• Salt as per taste

Method

For béchamel sauce

•  Heat butter add in flour and stir mix. Add in milk and keep stirring .Add in eggs one by one and mozzarella cheese and keep mixing till it thickens. You can use Parmesan cheese in equal quantity as well like half mozzarella and half Parmesan cheese. This way it adds a nice texture and flavour to the sauce. Adjust salt as per taste. Add in white pepper powder and nutmeg powder.
• Reserve some portions of this sauce to be used later on while baking cannelloni.
• Now add in roasted chicken, finely chopped onion, potato and tomato to the above simmering béchamel sauce to make the stuffing . Add in dried Italian herb seasoning.Mix well and cook for 15 mints. This form a thick stuffing for cannelloni pasta….

Bake and Cooking of Pasta

• Cook pasta al dente for 7-8 mints. Now quickly take out the pasta and let it dry a bit over a plate. Carefully lift the pasta and fill in the stuffing inside of the cannelloni pasta with the help of spoon.
• Prepare a baking tray. Layer rest of the béchamel sauce first evenly at the bottom.
• Now place stuffed cannelloni pasta to fill the space in baking tray. Put some pasta sauce over them.
• Now again put stuffed cannelloni pasta one by one neatly over this layer. Spread some more béchamel sauce if you have any leftover or otherwise you may spread some pasta sauce as well.
• Bake at 175 deg C for 10 mints...Take out sprinkle mozzarella cheese and bake further 10 mints or till the cheese evenly melted and a nice brown texture is formed.
• Take out and serve.

Tips

You can use lasagna sheets in place of cannelloni pasta as well. As working with cannelloni pasta can be tricky.

Happy Cooking Friends