Cannelloni Marcus Supreme

In 1981, after I was laid-off from Foothills Pipeline in Calgary I had a party to celebrate the recession. All guests were asked to bring a food gift to help me through the hard times a head. Some people brought canned food, other brought silver plate serving dishes to put it in! I made this dish at my Calgary Recession Party. Boy I have had enough of those in my life. The carrots and the dried Italian mushrooms give the dish a different appearance and distinct taste.

For the Filling

• 3 tablespoons butter
• ½ cup ground beef
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 4 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 tablespoons flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• Pinch of Nutmeg

Chopped Mixture #1

• 1 small carrot
• 1 onion
• 1 celery stalk

Chopped Mixture #2

• 2 ounces prosciuto
• 1 ounce dried mushrooms (soaked for one hour, then parboiled and sliced)

For the Meat Sauce

• 1 pound beef
• 2 tablespoons basil
• ½ cup chopped onion
• 2 cups water
• 2, 6 ounce cans tomato paste
• Pepper, parsley
• 2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
• 6 tablespoons butter

Prepare the meat sauce

Brown onion in a little butter, add meat, brown, pour off fat or liquid, add basil, water, tomato paste, pepper and parsley.  Cook for around 30 minutes.

Make the filling

Place 3 tbsp. butter in pan, add chopped mixture #1, cook over low heat till pale in colour, add ½ pound ground beef and brown meat.  Add chopped mixture #2, season with salt, pepper and nutmeg, mix well, add wine, cook to reduce the liquid.  Scatter flour over mixture, stir, add tomatoes and 2 tablespoons of the meat sauce.  Cook until thickens.  Remove to a bowl and let cool.

Cook pasta, assemble dish

Cook pasta. Spread some of the filling and meat sauce on bottom of baking pan.  Also along edge of each cannelloni noodle as this helps to the seal.  Stuff noodles with filling.  Line dish with stuffed cannelloni, cover with meat sauce, add a little grated cheese, and dot with butter.  Bake 15-20 minutes at 375(F), sprinkle with more cheese when ready to serve.