Asparagus & Pecorino Cannelloni
Asparagus is a spring delicacy. With an unmistakable flavour, available only for a short time each year, asparagus is a true spring treasure.
Ingredients
- 12-16 dried cannelloni tubes or fresh pasta sheets cannelloni
- 750g asparagus
- 100g finely grated pecorino romano
- 250g of ricotta
- 1 large egg
- 2 tbsp minced onion, 1 clove garlic, and a pinch of nutmeg
- 1litre of milk
- 75g butter
- 40g all-purpose flour
- Pinch of salt and pepper
Method
- Steam or boil the asparagus in salted water for about 2 minutes until crisp-tender. Immediately plunge into cold water to stop the cooking. Reserve the tips for garnish; finely slice the stalks for the filling.
- Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk until the sauce thickens and comes to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup of the Pecorino cheese.
- In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, egg, 1/2 cup of Pecorino, minced onion, nutmeg, and the sliced asparagus stalks. Season with salt and pepper.
- Spread about 1 cup of the béchamel sauce into the bottom of a greased 9×13-inch baking dish. Loosely fill the cannelloni tubes with the ricotta mixture and arrange them in a single layer in the dish.
- Pour the remaining béchamel sauce over the tubes, ensuring they are completely covered to prevent the pasta from drying out. Sprinkle with the remaining Pecorino cheese. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for 35 to 45 minutes until the sauce is bubbling and the top is golden.
- Add the garnish with the reserved asparagus tips before serving. Garnish with the reserved asparagus tips before serving. The remaining cold butter and grated Grana Padano Cheese. Stir very vigorously for 1 minute until creamy. Cover and let sit for 2 minutes.
Buon Appetito!
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