BIG BIG CANNELLONI SERVES 4


FOR THE FILLING: 1kg ricotta cheese 1 tsp olive oil 70g grated parmesan cheese 1 tbsp fine salt 2 tsp pepper 3 tbsp olive oil


4 slices of guanciale or bacon, cut into 1cm cubes


Half a squash, cut into 1cm chunks


200g oyster mushrooms, wiped clean and stalks trimmed 200g pasta dough 1 egg yolk, beaten (optional) 2 small dill sprigs, to garnish salt and pepper


FOR THE BÉCHAMEL SAUCE: 70g butter 70g plain flour 1 tsp pepper Half tsp salt 1 tsp grated nutmeg 1l milk


1 To make the filling, mix the ricotta, olive oil, parmesan, salt and pepper together. Pour this mixture into a piping bag and set aside in the refrigerator.


2 Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil in a frying pan over a high heat and fry the guanciale for 5 minutes until crisp. Season lightly with salt and pepper and set aside in a bowl.


3 Wipe the frying pan clean, add another 1 tbsp of the olive oil over a high heat and sauté the squash for 10 minutes – it should still have some bite. Season lightly with salt and pepper then set aside.


4 Wipe the frying pan clean again then heat the remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil over a high heat and sauté the mushrooms for 7 minutes. Season and set aside.


5 Next, prepare the béchamel sauce. In a saucepan, melt the butter over a low heat for 2–3 minutes. Add the flour and mix with a whisk until you have a thick paste. Add the pepper, salt and nutmeg, then pour in the milk, a little at a time, whisking continuously. Cook for 2–3 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Remove from the heat and set aside.


6 Preheat the oven to 170C. If your oven is not a steam oven, place a bowl of water inside. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the pasta dough to 1–2 mm thick. Cut the rolled-out dough into four even rectangles, 25cm long by 10cm wide.


7 With the longest edge of each rectangle facing you, pipe the filling in a thick band along the lower half of the dough, leaving a 2cm border at the top edge. Brush the top edge with beaten egg yolk or water. Roll up the cannelloni from bottom to top, then seal the dough by pressing with your fingers. Place the cannelloni on a baking sheet lined with baking paper and cook in the preheated oven for 6 minutes.


8 Remove from the oven. Pour the béchamel sauce over the cannelloni. Increase the oven temperature to 200C/ Gas 6 and bake for 3 minutes.


9 Place the cannelloni in the centre of a long serving plate. Scatter the guanciale, squash and mushrooms over the top and sprinkle with dill and pepper.


Big Mamma Cucina Popolare: Contemporary Italian Recipes, published by Phaidon


GNOCCHI ALLA SORRENTINA


SERVES 4 500g gnocchi 400ml smooth tomato pasta sauce (see below for sauce) 120g grated parmesan cheese, plus 30g to garnish 200g mozzarella, cut into 1cm cubes Few basil leaves, to garnish Salt and pepper


FOR THE SAUCE (MAKES 750ML): 3-4 tbsp olive oil 250g cherry tomatoes 500g tinned peeled tomatoes Salt and pepper


1 First, make the sauce. Add the olive oil to a large heavy-based pan. Heat for 3 minutes and add the fresh tomatoes. Crush a few of the tomatoes with the back of a spoon to release their juice.


2 Using a hand blender placed directly in the can, purée the canned tomatoes and add to the pan. Season with salt and pepper.


3 Gently simmer for 1 hour on a low heat, stirring occasionally. For a less runny consistency, continue to cook for a further 1 hour. Season to taste.


4 Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the gnocchi for about 3 minutes or until they rise to the surface.


5 Drain and put the gnocchi into the pan with the tomato sauce. Reheat over a high heat, stirring continuously, for 3 minutes.


6 Remove from the heat, stir in the parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper. Transfer everything to a baking dish and arrange the diced mozzarella on top with the remaining parmesan. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes until the cheese has melted and has begun to form a crust.


7 Remove from the oven, garnish with the basil leaves and serve immediately.


Big Mamma Cucina Popolare: Contemporary Italian Recipes, published by Phaidon


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