Traditional cannelloni

I always associate cannelloni with holiday days. In Catalonia it is very typical to eat them on December 26th, Saint Stephen's Day, although they are also usually prepared for the major summer festivals. It is a recipe that takes time to make and that is why it is reserved for special occasions.

Le Creuset roasting pan

Ingredients (30 to 35 cannelloni)

• 30-35 cannelloni sheets
• 1 skinless, boneless chicken breast
• 1 chicken thigh, boneless and with skin
• 300gr beef (round, rump or shank)
• 300gr pork neck
• 2 pear tomatoes
• 2 Figueres onions
• 2 carrots
• 1 leek
• 4 garlic cloves
• 100ml brandy or rancio wine
• 50gr duck foie gras
• Olive oil
• 2 slices of crustless sandwich bread
• 100ml milk
• Salt
• Pepper

For the béchamel

• 60gr butter
• 60gr flour
• 750ml milk
• Salt
• Nutmeg

For the final baking

• Emmental cheese for gratinating

Step-by-step preparation of the cannelloni

1. Cut all the meat into regular dice. For this, help yourself with a good knife and a cutting board.
2. Clean and peel all the vegetables and cut them into dice the same size as the meat.
3. Put the meat and vegetables in a shallow casserole or another type of casserole. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with a good splash of olive oil. Be generous with the salt (but careful not to overdo it). There's nothing worse than bland cannelloni.
4. Bake at 190 ºC for one hour. After that time, add the brandy and continue cooking for another 30 minutes.
5. Once out of the oven, mix the sandwich bread soaked in milk and the foie gras with the rest of the roast. Grind everything with the help of a food processor like the P2. You must obtain a fine filling, without lumps, but not excessively minced. Before filling the cannelloni, it is very important that you taste the filling for salt in case it needs adjusting.
6. Cook the cannelloni following the manufacturer's instructions. Drain them and fill the cannelloni. Some people use a spoon to do this, but I prefer to use a piping bag. For this, I place all the cannelloni sheets on the countertop and in a moment I have all the filling on the sheets.
7. Roll the cannelloni and place them in a tray that can go in the oven (Make it pretty! Remember this will be the tray you present at the table). Cover them with the béchamel.

Le Creuset round cocotte

For the béchamel:

8. Put the butter in a saucepan and add the flour. Stir with some whisk or a silicone spatula for a couple of minutes. Add the milk and a pinch of nutmeg. Stir until you obtain a smooth sauce. Season with salt.
9. Cover the cannelloni with the béchamel. Sprinkle grated cheese and put them in the oven for 20 minutes at 190º. In the last minute, turn the broiler to maximum power until you achieve a nice golden color.