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Description
Cannelloni is cylindrical Italian pasta generally served baked with sauce and a filling.Some types of cannelloni need to be boiled beforehand, while for others, it is enough to use a more dilute sauce or filling. Cannelloni is prepared by rolling the pasta sheets, stuffed with some kind of filling. Cannelloni pasta sheets are available in the market and can also be easily made at home by combining plain flour, water, salt, oil into a dough,which is then rolled into thin pasta sheets and cooked. These sheets are then filled with a desired filling, combined with a sauce and made into various Italian dishes.
Cooked cannelloni
Boil plenty of water in a large pan with 1 tsp of salt and 1 tsp of oil. Add the freshly-prepared or dry cannelloni sheets to the boiling water, one sheet of pasta at a time. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally and gently until the pasta is tender. Cooking time may vary with the size and the thickness of the pasta. Immediately drain the cooked pasta into a sieve or a colander. Transfer to a bowl of cold water to refresh it. Drain again and keep aside. If the pasta is not to be used immediately, add 1 tbsp of oil to it and toss it.
How to select
Choose cannelloni sheets - translucent, creamy yellow coloured, without any tint of grey. When held up to the light it should appear translucent, without signs of any air bubbles or dark specks. The dark specks should only appear if there is some flavouring agent used. Look at the thickness of different brands of pasta and if there is a difference, choose the thinner brand. Pasta that is too thick will become doughy when cooked.
When selecting fresh cannelloni, look for the expiration date to be sure it will be fresh until the time it will be used. Another factor to consider is the brand of pasta you prefer. The nutritional value of the pasta will also be shown on the label or package. It will show calories, fat and cholesterol content, and it will list the nutrients contained. The food label or package may also contain other information such as cooking instructions and estimated serving sizes.
Culinary uses
Tasty cannelloni stuffed with mushrooms, tomatoes, oregano, basil, red wine and a combination of Parmesan and mozzarella cheese makes a delicious Italian meal, served with a crisp salad.
Add a tablespoon of oil to the water when cooking cannelloni. Since cannelloni sheets are wide and thick, they have a tendency to stick together when they cool. The oil in the cooking water will help to prevent them from sticking together.
How to store
Store it, unopened, in a cool, dry cupboard for six to eight months or as per the expiry date. Place in an airtight container or freezer bags, then seal, label, date and freeze. Keep it away from other foods as it easily absorbs odours of other food.
Health benefits
Cannelloni sheets are a good source of complex carbohydrates.