Truffled cannelloni with meat and mushrooms

Thinking of recipes to celebrate Christmas, I couldn't resist preparing this recipe for truffled meat cannelloni . Normally at home it is a head recipe in the form of lasagna, but today I wanted to adapt it so that you can enjoy it prepared as a cannelloni.

I know in good faith that cannelloni are laborious to prepare, but I bring you an easier way to save time . Also, if you want you can leave them prepared in advance and finish them in the oven at the time you go to eat them. You will see that the small effort is worth it.

We raised the recipe to another level thanks to the truffle used in the béchamel, and the combination of flavors of its filling -with mushrooms and meat- is wonderful. As for the presentation, I love how they are presented directly in casseroles individually, everyone likes and surprises, but you can take it to the table on a central tray.

Shall we get to it? You will love it!

Le Creuset skillet and Revol round porcelain plates

Ingredients for 6 people

• 18-20 preformed cannelloni pasta*
• Grated Parmesan cheese for gratin

For the filling:

• 400 gr minced pork and beef
• 200 gr mushrooms
• 300 gr boletus edulis**
• 3 shallots
• ½ green pepper
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 splash of brandy
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 sprig of thyme
• Salt
• Pepper
• Extra virgin olive oil

For the truffled béchamel:

• 1200 gr whole milk
• 60 gr butter
• 60 gr flour
• 40 gr grated truffle
• Salt
• Pepper
• Nutmeg

Ceramic oven tray by Emile Henry and round porcelain plates Revol

Preparation

1. We have 3 tablespoons of oil in our Le Creuset skillet , lightly brown the garlic, add the very finely chopped shallots, the very chopped green pepper, the bay leaf and the thyme. We poached well.
2. Once poached, add the mushrooms and mushrooms, previously finely chopped with the help of the Tefal manual chopper , season with salt and pepper and cook well until they reduce their volume and do not release water. Remove from the skillet and reserve.
3. In the same skillet we have 3 tablespoons of olive oil and add the meat, season with salt and pepper and cook until cooked and slightly golden, raise the heat, add the brandy and let it evaporate. Add the mushrooms again, mix with the meat, season with salt and pepper and reserve until the mixture is tempered.
4. While the mixture is warming up, prepare the truffled béchamel, for this we will melt the butter in a large saucepan , add the flour, sauté for a couple of minutes so that it does not taste like raw flour, without stopping stirring, add the milk and wait for it to thicken - remember that it is important that the milk is cold so we will avoid lumps-. Season with salt and pepper, perfume with nutmeg and finally add the grated truffle, mix well and reserve.
5. Once the filling has cooled, we remove the bay leaf and thyme, add 5 tablespoons of bechamel, mix well to integrate them.
6. And now I give you the option of chopping the mixture more or leaving it as it is, it is to everyone's taste, in my case I gave it a few passes through the manual mincer, although I could not have done it, since the size of the chunks was not excessive and we could perfectly fill the tubes of pasta.
7. Once we have the filling ready, with the help of a pastry bag we fill the cannelloni tubes and arrange them on a layer of bechamel, either individually, 3 by 3, in our individual Revol dishes or on a baking tray. such as those of Emile Henry.
8. Cover with béchamel, sprinkle with cheese and cook for 20 minutes in a preheated oven at 200ºC.
9. We serve hot.

Although the cannelloni can be laborious to prepare, as I already told you, they are always a success. Just like the lasagna, we can have them prepared in advance, covered with béchamel and at the last moment finish them in the oven. It is a delicious dish to share with the family and enjoy both on holidays and any day you want to make a recipe to surprise.

Don't miss them!

*For me, preformed cannelloni pasta is a convenience, but if you want you can make them with individual plates which you will have to cook, dry once cooked and fill. With this type of pasta, it is not necessary to cook it for 20 minutes in the oven, you could reduce it to 10 minutes and grill it.

** If it is difficult for you to get fresh boletus edulis, do not hesitate to buy it frozen, I opted for this option for this recipe, it is important to thaw them before making the stir-fry.

Ceramic oven tray by Emile Henry and round porcelain plates Revol