Each recipe makes enough for four people (two cannelloni each).

Egg pasta

(I made a double batch the first time in case I messed any sheets up, hence the more-than-eight sheets in the picture)

Makes 8 sheets

Ingredients

100g all-purpose (plain) flour
1 extra large egg

Note: If your egg isn’t particularly big, decrease the flour by a tablespoon then, as you bring the dough together, add enough of the remaining flour to get a dough of good kneading consistency.

Directions

Put the flour in a bowl, make a well in the centre and break in the egg. Using a fork, beat the egg lightly, then slowly incorporate the flour from the edges until it is all mixed in and then use your hands to continue mixing until it comes together in a dough. Turn out onto a bench and knead by hand until smooth, about 10 minutes. Wrap in plastic and let rest for 30 minutes.

Cut the dough into 4 pieces, leaving the others wrapped in plastic while you work with one. Flatten the dough out a bit with your hands, lightly dust it with flour, then either use a pasta roller or rolling pin to form your sheets.

On the widest setting, pass the dough through the roller four or five times, folding it into thirds and lightly dusting with flour each time, until it’s satiny and smooth. Now turn the dial one place and (without folding the dough again) pass it through again. Repeat this process (dialling down/up, depending on the numbering system on your roller, and rolling) until you get to the second-last setting on the dial. The pasta sheet should be about 1mm thick by now. If the sheet gets too long, just cut it in half with a knife.

Cut the sheets into approximately 10 x 15cm rectangles and lay on clean tea towels while you continue rolling.

Béchamel

Ingredients

500ml milk, room temperature
50g butter
1/3 cup all-purpose (plain) flour
1 pinch salt
1 pinch nutmeg

Directions

In a medium, non-stick saucepan, melt the butter. Add the flour and whisk continuously until combined. Add the milk little by little, whisking constantly until completely incorporated before adding more.

Add salt and nutmeg and cook over low heat until thickened, about 10 minutes. Cover and set aside.

Tomato sauce

Ingredients

1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 x 700g bottle passata
1 tsp dried oregano (or 1 tbsp fresh chopped basil)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan, add the onion and cook until translucent then add the garlic and cook for a few minutes. Add the passata, oregano (or basil) and salt and pepper. Cover and cook over low heat for about 20 minutes. Remove to a bowl and set aside to cool.

First up, we had cannelloni al pesto.

Ingredients

Pesto

2 cups basil
2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley
2 cloves garlic
4 to 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp pine nuts
Salt to taste
1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated

Filling

500g ricotta
3⁄4 cup pesto from the above recipe
1 1⁄2 cups Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated
1 pinch nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste

To assemble

Béchamel from the above recipe
Remainder of pesto from the above recipe
1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated

Directions

Prepare the pesto by blitzing everything except the cheese in a food processor to a smooth paste. Transfer to a bowl, stir in the cheese, cover and set aside.

Mix the filling ingredients together, cover and and set aside.

Mix the béchamel with the remaining pesto, cover and set aside.

In a wide, shallow saucepan, bring a couple of inches of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta sheets in batches for 1 minute – just add as many as the pot can hold so they don’t overlap – remove with a slotted spoon and put on a clean tea towel to cool.

Take one sheet of cooked pasta and put 1/8 of the filling down the long edge, then roll it up. Repeat with the remaining sheets.

Brush a baking dish with olive oil then spread a little of the béchamel/pesto mixture in the bottom, right to the corners. Pack the cannelloni in tightly in a single layer. Cover with the remaining béchamel/pesto mixture and sprinkle over the remaining 1/2 cup of Parmigiano Reggiano.

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180°C for 20 minutes, then turn on the oven grill (broiler) for another 5 minutes to brown the top.

Serve immediately.

Next on the menu was cannelloni di Quorn.

Ingredients

Filling

400g Quorn mince
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 cups Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated
3/4 cup béchamel from the above recipe
Salt and pepper to taste

To assemble

Tomato sauce from the above recipe
Remainder of béchamel from the above recipe
1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated

Directions

Prepare the filling by heating the oil in a medium saucepan. Cook the onion until translucent then add the garlic and cook for a few minutes. Add the Quorn mince, bay leaf and water, cover and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes, until fragrant. Remove to a bowl, cover and set aside to cool. When cool, remove the bay leaf, add 3/4 cup béchamel and 1 1/2 cups grated Parmigiano Reggiano and stir to combine. Season to taste.

In a wide, shallow saucepan, bring a couple of inches of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta sheets in batches for 1 minute – just add as many as the pot can hold so they don’t overlap – remove with a slotted spoon and put on a clean tea towel to cool.

Take one sheet of cooked pasta and put 1/8 of the filling down the long edge, then roll it up. Repeat with the remaining sheets.

Brush a baking dish with olive oil then spread a little of the tomato sauce in the bottom, right to the corners. Pack the cannelloni in tightly in a single layer. Cover with the remaining tomato sauce, pour over the remaining béchamel and sprinkle over the remaining 1/2 cup of Parmigiano Reggiano.

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180°C for 20 minutes, then turn on the oven grill (broiler) for another 5 minutes to brown the top.

Serve immediately.

Version three consisted of three-cheese cannelloni.

Ingredients

Filling

350g ricotta
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated
1 cup mozzarella, grated

To assemble

Tomato sauce from the above recipe
Half a batch of béchamel from the above recipe
1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated

Directions

Prepare the filling by mixing all the ingredients together in a bowl until smooth. Season to taste.

In a wide, shallow saucepan, bring a couple of inches of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta sheets in batches for 1 minute – just add as many as the pot can hold so they don’t overlap – remove with a slotted spoon and put on a clean tea towel to cool.

Take one sheet of cooked pasta and put 1/8 of the filling down the long edge, then roll it up. Repeat with the remaining sheets.

Brush a baking dish with olive oil then spread a little of the tomato sauce in the bottom, right to the corners. Pack the cannelloni in tightly in a single layer. Cover with the remaining tomato sauce, pour over the remaining béchamel and sprinkle over the remaining 1/2 cup of Parmigiano Reggiano.

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180°C for 20 minutes, then turn on the oven grill (broiler) for another 5 minutes to brown the top.

Serve immediately.

And last but by no means least, roasted vegetable cannelloni.

Ingredients

Filling

1 eggplant (aubergine), halved across and cut lengthwise into 1cm sticks
2 zucchini (courgette), halved across and cut lengthwise into 1cm sticks
2 red peppers (capsicums), deseeded and sliced lengthwise into 1cm sticks
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dried oregano
150g ricotta
1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated
salt and pepper to taste

To assemble

Tomato sauce from the above recipe
Half a batch of béchamel from the above recipe
1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated

Directions

Prepare the filling by tossing the vegetables in the oil. Place in a large baking dish for about an hour, sprinkle with oregano and roast in a preheated oven at 200°C for about an hour, stirring occasionally. Set aside to cool, then when ready to use, stir in ricotta and parmesan and season to taste.

In a wide, shallow saucepan, bring a couple of inches of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta sheets in batches for 1 minute – just add as many as the pot can hold so they don’t overlap – remove with a slotted spoon and put on a clean tea towel to cool.

Take one sheet of cooked pasta and put 1/8 of the filling down the long edge, then roll it up. Repeat with the remaining sheets.

Brush a baking dish with olive oil then spread a little of the tomato sauce in the bottom, right to the corners. Pack the cannelloni in tightly in a single layer. Cover with the remaining tomato sauce, pour over the remaining béchamel and sprinkle over the remaining 1/2 cup of Parmigiano Reggiano.

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180°C for 20 minutes, then turn on the oven grill (broiler) for another 5 minutes to brown the top.

Serve immediately.