Ingredients

• 18-20 fresh pasta sheets (approx 13cm x 10cm/5in x 4in)
• 1 onion
• finely chopped
• 8 tbsp Italian olive oil
• 500g/17oz minced beef
• 700g/24oz ricotta cheese
• 150g/5oz mascarpone cheese
• pinch of grated nutmeg
• 1 onion
• finely chopped
• 200g/7oz grated parmesan cheese
• 100g/3oz parmesan shavings
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 800g/12oz Italian tinned chopped tomatoes
• handful (approx. 15) fresh basil leaves
• 160ml/5½ fl oz double cream
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
• Gently fry the onion in olive oil until golden.
• Add in the minced beef and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook for 10-15 minutes. Allow meat to cool.
• Mix the cooked meat with the ricotta cheese
• mascarpone
• nutmeg and parmesan cheese in a large clean bowl.
• Taste the mixture and then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Take a sheet of pasta and at one end place two heaped tablespoons of meat mix.
• Gently roll the pasta to achieve a filled tube shape.
• Place in a deep-sided baking tray. Repeat the process until the baking tray is full and the pasta sheets are all used up.
• Pour over the chopped tomatoes. Top with the basil
• drizzle over the cream and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Finally
• drizzle the extra virgin olive oil on top and bake for approximately 20 minutes. For the first 10 minutes cover with foil
• then remove.
• To serve
• place three cannelloni on a plate and top with shaved parmesan and (if you like) a glass of Italian medium red wine.