Beef Cannelloni

Cannelloni is an Italian dish of a pasta cylinders filled with meat and sauce and baked in the oven. They are not only a fun dish to make but also super taste and packed full of vegetables. This makes it a great way to sneak extra veges to the kids dinner.

Using fresh lasagna sheets as opposed to dried cannelloni tubes makes this easier to make, and much more delicious (if you're like me and greatly prefer fresh pasta to dried).

I have made this dish so many times now. I could just never get an anywhere near decent photograph! But since I am finally learning, I can finally post this delicious dish. 

Beef Cannelloni

Serves 4-6

600 g (1.3 lbs) ground beef
1 onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
400 g (14 oz) can crushed tomatoes
50 g (1.8 oz) can tomato paste
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 cup spinach, chopped
1 cup beef stock
1 large carrot, grated
1 tsp dried mixed herbs
salt and pepper to taste
3 fresh lasagna sheets
200 g (7 oz) creme fraiche
1 cup grated cheese

1. Preheat your oven to 180C (350F). Heat a dash of oil in a large fry pan over a high heat. Brown the beef and set aside.

2. Return the pan to the heat and add the onion and garlic. Cook for about 3 minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent.

3. Return the beef to the pan and add the tomatoes, stock, herbs, carrot, and spinach. Simmer for about 10 minutes, until the sauce has reduced. Season to taste.

4. Cover the base of a baking dish, or oven proof dish with tomato paste. Soak the lasagna sheets in hot water for a couple of minutes to soften. All to cool slightly and cut each piece in half.

5. Place 1/6th of the mixture onto the short edge of each pasta sheet and roll into a tube. Place seem side down in the baking dish. Repeat until finished.

6.  Spread the creme fraiche over the cannelloni tubes and sprinkle with the grated cheese.

7. Bake for 30 minutes, until the pasta is cooked through and the cheese is golden.