Cannelloni con Funghi e Ricotta

In Italy cannelloni is traditionally made with a meat or a spinach and ricotta filling, but my recipe utilises both fresh and porcini mushrooms.

It really is the ultimate comfort dish to enjoy on these cold winter evenings.

My tip is too add some Worcestershire sauce when making the filling as it adds an extra savoury kick (omit if vegetarian).

Mangia, mangia! 👩🏻‍🍳

Cannelloni con funghi e ricotta recipe:

Serves 4-5 people

16 cannelloni tubes
Filling:
350g chestnut mushrooms, diced (reserve a few just sliced and cooked for decoration)
20g packet dried porcini mushrooms, soaked in boiling water for 15 minutes then chopped
2 garlic cloves crushed
350g ricotta cheese
Worcestershire sauce (leave out if you’re vegetarian)
2 tbsps grated parmesan or pecorino (leave out if you’re vegetarian)
Chopped parsley
Salt & pepper

Béchamel sauce:
3 tbsps butter
5 tbsps plain flour
1 pint of milk (a little extra might be needed for the sauce)
Pinch grated nutmeg
3 tbsps grated parmesan or pecorino
Salt & pepper

Grated parmesan or pecorino for the topping

1. First make your béchamel sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat, whisk in the flour. Gradually add the milk little at the time whisking always until the sauce thickens. Remove from the heat and the stir in the cheese, nutmeg and salt and pepper. Taste and make sure you’re happy with the seasoning.
2. Fry your diced mushrooms in a little oil, add the garlic and continue frying for a few minutes. Add few dashes of Worcestershire sauce. Take off the heat and let cool. Separately fry a few sliced mushrooms and reserve these when serving your cannelloni.
3. In a large bowl add the ricotta cheese, chopped porcini mushrooms, parmesan cheese, couple of tablespoons of porcini liquid, the cooled mushrooms and parsley. Mix thoroughly and taste, add salt and pepper as required.
4. Preheat the oven to 200C.
5. Get an oven proof dish(approx 30x20 cm) and dot the bottom with butter.
6. Fill each tube with the mushroom filling. I used a teaspoon and fingers to push the filling in at each side.
7. Lay the tubes in the dish and cover with the béchamel sauce and sprinkle over a layer of parmesan cheese. Cover will foil and bake in the oven for about 20 mins. Then remove the foil and continue cooking for another 15 mins or so until it’s golden brown.
8. Serve a portion of each with a few cooked sliced mushrooms on top and a mixed salad to go with it.