Ingredients
250g dried cannelloni tubes
RAGÙ
2 sprigs of rosemary
4 slices of higher-welfare smoked streaky bacon
olive oil
500g higher-welfare beef mince (5% fat)
2 onions
2 carrots
2 cloves of garlic
2 sticks of celery
1 x small bottle of red wine (187ml), or 1 medium glass (175ml)
2 x 400g tins of quality plum tomatoes
WHITE SAUCE
1 onion
2 cloves of garlic
50g unsalted butter
3 tablespoons plain flour
600ml semi-skimmed milk
50g Parmesan cheese, plus extra for grating
1 whole nutmeg, for grating
Method
- For the ragù, pick and finely chop the rosemary leaves, finely chop the bacon, then place in a large deep casserole pan on a high heat with 3 tablespoons of olive oil, stirring regularly, until lightly golden.
- Add the mince, breaking it up with your spoon, and let it brown for 15 minutes, stirring regularly.
- Peel the onions, carrots and garlic, then finely chop with the celery, add to the pan, and cook for another 15 minutes, stirring regularly.
- Pour in the wine and let it cook away for a few minutes, then tip in the tomatoes, fill both the tins with water, swirl around and pour into the pan. Bring to the boil, breaking up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon. Reduce to a low heat and simmer for 1 hour, or until thick and delicious. Taste, then season to perfection.
- Once the ragù is ready, sit a colander in a deep roasting tray (around 25-30cm) and spoon the ragù into the colander. Give it a wiggle to allow most of the tomato sauce to collect in the tray below. Leave to cool slightly while you start the white sauce – this will make it easier to fill your tubes of pasta later.
- For the white sauce, peel and finely slice the onion and garlic. Melt the butter in a large pan over a medium heat, then add the onion and garlic and cook for 15 minutes, or until soft and lightly golden, stirring occasionally and adding a splash of water, if needed. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4.
- Spoon the beef mixture into the tubes of pasta, then lay them into the roasting tray, nestling on top of the tomato sauce.
- Once the onions and garlic are ready, stir in the flour then, splash-by-splash, stir in the milk. Keep stirring over the heat until your sauce is smooth and thick, then finely grate in the Parmesan and mix well. Taste, then season to perfection with sea salt, black pepper and a fine grating of nutmeg.
- Turn the cannelloni tubes over in the sauce in the tray, and then spoon over the white sauce in one even layer. Grate over a little extra nutmeg and Parmesan, then bake on the bottom shelf of the oven for 45 minutes, or until golden, blipping and gorgeous. Leave to sit for 15 minutes, then serve with a seasonal salad.
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