Cannelloni with ragù and béchamel – grandma’s recipe: preparation…

• Let’s start by preparing the ragù. Mine is a simple version that reflects tradition a bit but is also adapted to our family’s tastes. You can of course use your own recipe — it will work just as well.

  Make a fine mince of onion, celery and carrot and brown it in a bit of butter or a good drizzle of olive oil.

  Once the vegetables have softened, add the ground meat and brown it as well, breaking it up so it whitens nicely.

  

• Stir continuously to break up all the meat and let it “dry” a little, then pour in the white wine and let it evaporate.

  When the wine has evaporated add the tomato passata and about two glasses of water, which you can use to rinse the passata bottles so you don’t waste any of it.

  Cook over low heat for at least two hours.

  (In the past, when slaughtered cows were older, the meat needed a very long cooking time; today we can reduce those times a bit and two hours can be enough).

  

• As for the béchamel, you can make it at home following this recipe: béchamel.

  Alternatively, although I don’t recommend it because I don’t love the taste, you could also buy it ready-made.

  

• Once the meat has finished cooking you can assemble the cannelloni.

  Regarding the cannelloni, there are two schools of thought: some use them raw and others, like me, blanch them briefly in slightly salted water with a little oil.

  I prefer to do this step because I think it improves the flavor and helps the cooking.

  After blanching the cannelloni, lay them out on a clean sheet of parchment paper, grate the hard cheese and cut the soft cheese into pieces (like mild provola).

  

• To assemble them you can use two baking dishes and make a single layer in each (they will look nicer plated), or make a double layer in one dish.

  Pour a little ragù and a few spoonfuls of béchamel on the bottom of the baking dish.

  Fill each cannelloni with more ragù and a piece of cheese and place it in the dish.

  Repeat for all the cannelloni.

  

• Once the layer is finished, cover with more ragù and more béchamel, distribute a few pieces of cheese and a sprinkle of grated cheese, and bake at 356°F (conventional or fan-assisted) for 25-30 minutes.
  Remove from the oven, let them cool slightly and serve immediately, while still hot and melty.

  

• 
  Meat cannelloni with ragù and béchamel are one of those dishes that, if possible, taste even better the next day. The flavors settle, the sauce better envelops the pasta and everything becomes even more harmonious.
  
  You can store them in the refrigerator, well covered, for 2 days. When serving, reheat them in the oven with a drizzle of béchamel or a few tablespoons of milk to bring them back to the original softness.
  You can also freeze them, cooked or uncooked: in that case you can put them straight into the oven, adding a little extra sauce so they don’t dry out.
  
  If you use dried cannelloni that don’t require precooking, make sure the ragù is sufficiently moist and abundant: that’s the secret to perfect cooking.
  The béchamel should be fluid, never too thick, because it will continue to thicken in the oven.
  
  For truly creamy cannelloni, don’t skimp on the sauce: a layer on the bottom, one on top and a spoonful inside each will make them irresistible.
  If you want to prepare them in advance you can assemble them a few hours earlier and keep them in the fridge: slow baking will make them even better.
  And remember, as grandmothers did: let them rest a few minutes before serving so they firm up without losing their creaminess.