Hearty beef cannelloni served with red wine

Cannelloni, which means large reeds in Italian, refers to the large, tubular pasta that is filled with various ingredients. While the origins of this dish can be traced back to Italy, it has evolved over centuries, with different regions adding their own unique twists.

The beauty of Beef Cannelloni lies in its simplicity. The dish is composed of three main elements: the pasta, the filling, and the sauce. Each component plays a crucial role in creating the perfect balance of flavours and textures. Recipe compliment of La Motte.

Ingredients

• 500 g Cannelloni
• 1/2 cup Mozzarella grated or shredded

Filling

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 brown onions diced
• 4 cloves garlic crushed
• 2 carrots coarsely grated
• 1 kg beef mince
• 2 cans 410g diced tomatoes
• 1 can tomato puree
• 2 cups beef stock
• 1 cup La Motte Syrah

Cheese Sauce

• 100 g butter
• ¼ cup plain flour
• 1 L milk
• 1 cup Parmesan grated

Method

Filling

1. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. Add onion, garlic, carrot and cook for a few minutes until onions are soft.
3. Add beef mince to saucepan, break up clumps, stir to mix through and continue cooking until mince browns.
4. Add diced tomatoes, tomato puree, stock and Syrah. Season to taste stir to mix through and bring to boil.
5. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for about 1 hour. Stir occasionally.
6. Remove from heat and fill cannelloni tubes per the instructions below.

Cheese Sauce

1. Add butter to a medium saucepan over medium heat and cook until melted.
2. Add flour, stir to mix through until fully combined.
3. Increase heat and gradually add milk while continuing to stir until sauce boils and thickens.
4. Remove from heat, add cheese and stir to mix through.

Cannelloni

1. Pre-heat a oven to 180C.
2. Spoon 1/4 of the filling into the base of a large round baking dish or saucepan. Ideally the dish will be approx 24cm in diameter and approx 11cm deep.
3. Press the cannelloni tubes, upright, into the filling. Cover the base of the baking dish.
4. Spoon the remainder of the filling into the cannelloni tubes. Spread as evenly as possible.
5. Pour the cheese sauce over the cannelloni then sprinkle with mozarella.
6. Let it stand for 30 minutes to soften the cannelloni tubes.
7. Place in oven and bake for about 40 minutes.
8. Remove from oven and serve.

Remember to pour generous glasses of the 2019 La Motte Syrah.