Cannelloni - Filled Pasta Tubes
350g/12 oz/3 cups plain flour
2 eggs
225g/8 oz/2 cups lean minced (ground) beef
1 large onion, minced
5 ml/1 tsp dried oregano
salt and freshly ground pepper
tomato sauce

Put the flour with a little salt and pepper in a bowl. Beat the eggs and mix into the flour. Mix with enough cold water to form a firm dough. Knead well. Roll out on a floured board and cut into rectangles about 7.5x10 cm/3x4 in. Mix together the minced beef and onion and blend with the oregano. Season with the salt and pepper. Spread a little of the mixture on each piece of dough and wet the edges of the pastry with water. Roll up like a sausage roll. Place the cannelloni carefully into a pan of boiling water and boil for 8-10 minutes. Drain well and serve with tomato sauce.

Macaroni al Forno - Baked Macaroni
1 lb large macaroni
4 oz chopped mushrooms
4 sliced tomatoes
handful of chopped parsley
grated Parmesan cheese
butter and olive oil
1/2 pint B�chamel sauce
salt and pepper

Heat equal parts of oil and butter and brown the tomatoes, mushrooms and parsley. Add a cup of hot water (or stock) and simmer until the tomatoes are very soft. Drain the macaroni, pat it dry and turn into a well greased oven casserole. Stir in the tomatoes sauce and the B�chamel - this should be very thin - and plenty of grated Parmesan cheese. Add salt and pepper and bake in a moderate oven for half an hour.

Risotto alla Milanese - Rice with Saffron and White Wine
This risotto is a beautiful golden colour because of the saffron. A good quality beef broth cube can be just as good as a home-made meat stock, and is much quicker. The dry white wine gives a delicious subtle flavour but is not essential. If, however, you do use wine, serve the same wine with the meal.
1 1/2 litres (2 1/2 pints) broth
1 small onion
360g (12oz) rice (preferably arborio)
Saffron (buy a small sachet at your local supermarket)
60g (2oz) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
75g (2 1/2oz) butter
75 ml (3 fl oz) dry white wine
salt and pepper to taste

Put a couple of broth cubes in a saucepan with water and bring to the boil. Take a large frying pan and put in the finely chopped onion with half the butter and fry until the onion is transparent. Pour in the rice and mix so that each grain is well covered in the butter. Once the rice is shiny add a ladleful of the broth and the rest of the butter. Pour in the wine and mix, adding the broth little by little as it becomes absorbed, never let the rice dry out and stir at frequent intervals. The risotto will take about 18 minutes. After 15 minutes add a generous pinch of saffron, the salt and pepper and mix.
When the rice is cooked, remove from the heat and add the cheese. Stir well and serve piping hot.

                                                                      top page

previous page                                                                                              next page