Cannelloni help?

Question

It's my first time to try cooking/eating cannelloni. I've just bought a package of Italian cannelloni shells from the supermarket & I've read the directions on it. It says "stuff the raw cannelloni" does this mean I should stuff it while it's hard, not after boiling? It then mentions baking it with added tomato sauce or beshamel , but I don't imagine those hard -pasta like- shells gonna be soft without boiling them, will they?
Any other tips from people with experience would be great :)

P.S the shells look like hard cylinders (like those http://z.about.com/d/italianfood/1/0/3/4/cannel.jpg) not sheets to be rolled

Answer 1

Boil them a little bit, not till done but till they're able to be worked with (more aldente). Then stick in the oven and cook per directions.

Answer 2

I boil them or a few about 5 to 7 minutes first. They should be flexible, but not so soft they start falling apart when you handle them.
If your putting everything together and straight into the oven to bake it should only take 30 minutes or so. If you refrigerate and bake later, bake for an hour.

Just curious, what are you filling them with? I don't really like the all cheese ones. I use ground beef, onion, tomato, mushrooms, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese in mine and top with tomato sauce and more cheese.

Answer 3

the shells do not need to be pre boiled, just fill them with the desired filling and roll them, put them on a greased oven plate, cover with bechamel and tomatoe sauce and you will have a nice Rossini Canelloni.
You can also cover them with tomatoe sauce only or cream sauces thats up to you.
for fillings you can use grounded beef sauted with onion, peppers, olives, and any other taste / spices you like same filling that for a meat pie for example, or you can use ham, corn and bechamel or look up on the internet for canelloni recipes to get ideas for other fillings like chicken, etc.
The raw shells will be well done after cooking them in the oven as they will get moisture from sauce or bechamel and hidratate and heat. they are already pre cooked.

You can also prepare your own for next time, it is very easy and has very few ingredients. probably cheaper than buying them too.

Answer 4

Here is the recipe I have used for a year - they turn out wonderful! Hope you enjoy!

Italian Baked Cannelloni

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup olive oil
1 pound lean ground beef
1 onion, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon dried sage
1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
salt to taste
1/2 cup white wine
12 ounces mozzarella cheese, cubed
2 egg yolks

4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk

2 (14.5 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup white wine
salt and pepper to taste
12 cannelloni pasta shells
DIRECTIONS
To make the Cannelloni Filling: In a large skillet over medium heat, warm oil and saute ground beef with the onion, sage and rosemary; cook until meat is evenly browned and crumbly. Add salt and 1/2 cup white wine; cook until wine is evaporated.
To make the Bechamel sauce: Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and stir until well incorporated. Stir in milk and bring to a slow boil until mixture thickens. Stir into the meat mixture and mix well. Stir in the mozzarella and egg yolks; set aside.
In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter and saute onion until soft and translucent. Add 1/2 cup white wine and let it cook down to evaporate; add tomato and salt. Mix well; simmer for 15 minutes.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta, a few at a time, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; using a slotted spoon, remove immediately to a pot filled with cold water. Lift pasta out with slotted spoon and arrange on a flat surface.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Spoon a line of filling into each shell, starting from one end and using your finger to push the filling inside of each shell. In a 9x13 inch baking dish, place cannelloni and cover with tomato mixture.
Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes or until heated through; when finished baking, allow to stand for 5 minutes and serve.

We usually make some garlic toast or bread sticks to go with it.