Baked Cannelloni

I have discovered that the best way to make this excellent supper dish is to buy fresh sheets of lasagne that don't need pre-cooking.

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  Serves 4

Ingredients
8 fresh lasagne sheets (weighing about 6 oz/175 g)
5 oz (150 g) Mozzarella, diced
1½ oz (40 g) finely grated Parmesan (Parmigiano Reggiano), plus a little extra to serve
For the filling:
8 oz (225 g) minced pork
1 dessertspoon chopped sage leaves
3½ oz (95 g) mortadella or unsmoked bacon
2 level tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan (Parmigiano Reggiano)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
3 oz (75 g) white bread without crusts, soaked in 2 tablespoons milk
1 large egg
a little nutmeg
salt and freshly milled black pepper
For the béchamel sauce:
1 pint (570 ml) milk
2 oz (50 g) butter
1¼ oz (35 g) plain flour
1 bay leaf
good grating of whole nutmeg
2½ fl oz (65 ml) double cream
salt and freshly milled black pepper

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Equipment
You will also need a baking dish with a base measurement of 7 x 9 inches (18 x 23 cm), 2 inches (5 cm) deep, buttered.

This recipe comes from How to Cook Book One

Method

First make the filling by placing all the ingredients into the bowl of a food processor and blending everything on a low speed until thoroughly combined. If you don't have a processor, chop everything as finely as possible with a sharp knife and blend it with a fork. Wrap in clingfilm and chill for about 30 minutes to firm up.

Next make the sauce by placing the milk, butter, flour, bay leaf, nutmeg and seasonings into a medium-sized saucepan over a medium heat, then, whisking all the time, slowly bring it up to simmering point until the sauce has thickened. Then turn the heat down to its lowest setting and let the sauce simmer for about 5 minutes, then remove the bay leaf, stir in the cream, taste to check the seasoning, cover and leave aside. Now pre-heat the oven to gas mark 4, 350°F (180°C), then cut the lasagne sheets in half so that you have 16 pieces.

Next divide the meat mixture in half and then each half into 8, then lightly roll each of these into a sausage shape about 3 inches (7.5 cm) long. Place each one on to a piece of lasagne and roll it up, starting from one of the shorter edges. As you do this, arrange them in the baking dish with the join underneath – what you should have is two rows neatly fitting together lengthways in the dish. Now pour the sauce over and scatter the Mozzarella cubes here and there.

Finally, scatter the Parmesan over the top and place the dish on the centre shelf of the oven to bake for 40 minutes, by which time it should be golden brown and bubbling. Then remove it from the oven and let it settle for about 10 minutes before serving. Finally, sprinkle a little extra Parmesan over.

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