Beef Cannelloni

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium brown onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 600g beef mince
• 700g jar tomato pasta sauce
• 1/4 cup shredded fresh basil leaves
• 6 fresh lasagne pasta sheets, halved
• 250g smooth ricotta cheese
• 1 1/2 cups grated pizza cheese
• Mixed salad leaves, to serve

Method

1. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until onion has softened. Add mince. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up mince, for 8 to 10 minutes or until browned and cooked through.
2. Add 1 cup pasta sauce. Season with pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in basil. Cool for 15 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Grease a 6cm-deep 20cm x 48cm rectangular ovenproof dish.
4. Place 1 sheet lasagne on a board. Spoon 1/4 cup mixture along 1 long edge. Roll up to enclose filling. Place in prepared dish. Repeat with remaining lasagne sheets and mince mixture. Dollop ricotta on pasta tubes. Spread with the back of a spoon. Pour remaining pasta sauce over ricotta layer. Sprinkle with pizza cheese.
5. Cover dish loosely with foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil. Bake for 30 minutes or until top is golden and pasta is tender. Serve with salad leaves.

Ingredients (serves 4)

• Olive oil cooking spray
• 1 medium brown onion, finely chopped
• 2 small carrots, peeled, grated
• 2 small zucchini, grated
• 300g lean beef mince
• 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 400g can no-added-salt tomato puree
• 8 fresh cannelloni sheets
• 1/2 cup (125g) reduced-fat ricotta cheese
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tablespoons reduced-fat milk
• 1/3 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
• Mixed salad leaves, to serve

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Lightly grease a 6cm-deep, 21cm x 27cm (base), 6 cup-capacity baking dish.
2. Spray a large frying pan with oil. Heat over medium heat. Add onion, carrot and zucchini. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 to 7 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add mince. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up mince, for 5 to 6 minutes or until browned. Add tomato. Bring to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes or until thick. Remove from heat.
3. Spread 1/2 cup puree over base of prepared dish. Place 1 cannelloni sheet on a flat surface. Spoon 1/2 cup mince mixture down centre. Fold over to enclose filling. Place, seam side down, on puree. Repeat with remaining cannelloni sheets and mince mixture. Pour remaining puree over cannelloni.
4. Place ricotta, egg yolk, milk and half the parmesan in a bowl. Whisk to combine. Spoon mixture over puree. Sprinkle with remaining parmesan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until pasta is tender and cheese melted and bubbling. Stand for 5 minutes. Serve with salad leaves.