Did you know that you can actually make stuffed cannelloni using a crepe batter? Yep, that's all you need to make this Greek-style pasta from scratch!
It's much easier to stuff ( I always struggle with store-bought cannelloni to fit the filling into the small hole). And like everything that's made from scratch, homemade cannelloni is much more flavorful.
Okay, let's be honest, it may take some extra time to make a few crepes than opening a box of dry pasta that's ready to use, but I believe all that extra flavor definitely worths the effort.
Another good thing when making your own pasta is that you can substitute flour with gluten-free flour, like oat or rice flour.
As for the stuffed cannelloni filling, it's just a classic ground beef bolognese sauce. Which makes this dish remind you of classic beef lasagna or our famous Greek Pastitsio ( something like macaroni pie with bolognese sauce).
How To Make Homemade Stuffed Cannelloni
So once you have made the crepes (which is the best crepe recipe copied from Lauren, that I simply converted to grams and ounces, because I am a precision freak when it comes to batters and dough stuff)...
Add about 2-3 tablespoons of the filling to each crepe (depending on how big you made them). Fold the edges envelope like and roll them into a log.
Add to a baking pan or baking dish, and simply drizzle the cream and cheese on top. Bake until everything gets a nice golden color all over, and the cheese looks nice and crusty!
So If you never tried making stuffed cannelloni from scratch, I think now is the right time to do it. So you can enjoy the heavenly flavor of a homemade pasta dish!
Like Creamy, Cheesy, Saucy Baked Pasta? Then You'll love this one as well.
Pastitsio is a traditional Greek baked pasta made with macaroni, spiced Greek Bolognese sauce, and bechamel cream on top. A real must-try for pasta lovers!
Recipe
Greek Stuffed Cannelloni Bolognese (From Scratch)
Ingredients
For The Bolognese Sauce:
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion minced
- 700 grams / 1lb 8oz lean ground beef
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 6-7 pieces of allspice
- a splash of red wine
- 1 large ripe tomato diced
- 4 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ green bell pepper finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
For The Crepes:
- 200 grams /7 oz all-purpose flour
- 360 grams/ 12.6 oz milk
- 50 grams / 1.7 oz butter melted
- 4 medium-sized eggs
- a pinch of salt
- a pinch of sugar
For Adding On Top:
- 200 ml full fat cream
- 100 grams / 3.5 oz grated cheese (Gruyere, Romano, or Parmesan)
Instructions
For The Bolognese Sauce:
- Heat olive oil in a medium-sized cooking pot over high heat.
- Add the onion and cook until softened and golden in color.
- Add the ground beef along with all the spices.
- Break the meat apart using a wooden spoon.
- Poor in the wine and wait until it evaporates completely.
- Stir in the diced tomato, tomato paste, and green bell pepper.
- Cook for a minute or two and pour in enough water to cover the meat.
- Reduce heat to medium and simmer for about an hour. Or until sauce thickens sufficiently.
For The Crepes:
- In a mixing bowl add the flour, salt, and sugar.
- Pour in half of the milk at first while whisking constantly until smooth paste forms. And then pour in the remaining milk.
- Add the eggs and melted butter and whisk until thoroughly combined.
- If any lumps have formed pass the crepe batter through a sieve.
- Heat a non-stick pan (or a crepe pan) over medium-high heat.
- Dip a paper towel in some canola or frying oil and use it to slightly grease the pan.
- When the pan is hot enough (but not smoky hot) add a big spoonful of the crepe batter (using a ladle) in the center of the pan and with quick circular moves, spread the batter evenly in the pan to form a very thin layer.
- Count to 10 and with a flat wooden spoon gently scrape the edges to see if the crepe is cooked enough to be flipped.
- Flip the crepe with your hands and cook for 10-15 seconds more.
- Set crepes aside in a pile.
For The Cannelloni:
- Preheat oven to 230°C / 446°F.
- Lay a crepe on your working surface and place 2-3 tablespoons of the bolognese sauce at the bottom.
- Fold the sides and roll the crepe in order to create a cannelloni.
- Place the cannelloni's in a pan and pour the cream all over.
- Sprinkle the grated cheese on top.
- Bake for about 30 minutes or until golden in color.
Nutrition
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Okay, my mouth is literally watering. I will definitely try this and let you know how it turns out!!! Eufaristo! 🙂