Baked Cannelloni

Experience the taste of Johnsonville cannelloni! Your favorite cannelloni shells are filled with onions, mushrooms and Johnsonville Italian Sausage.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 (19 ounce) package Johnsonville® Italian Sausage Links, removed from casing*
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 4 ounces mushrooms, finely chopped
• 12 ounces mozzarella cheese, cubed or shredded
• 2 egg yolks
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 cups milk (not skim)
• 12 Cannelloni pasta shells
• 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

Instructions

1. Make the filling: In a large skillet over medium heat add olive oil, onion and mushroom cook for 5 minutes allowing the onion to soften and the mushrooms to release liquid.
2. Once most of the liquid has dissipated, add sausage crumbling it with a wooden spoon into small pieces as it cooks. Stir and cook all ingredients until the onion is softened and the sausage is no longer pink and is starting to brown. Set aside.
3. To make a béchamel sauce: Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and stir until well incorporated. Slowly, add milk and whisk together until smooth. Continue whisking until sauce comes to a slow boil and starts to thicken. Stir half this sauce into the sausage mixture. (Reserve the other half to pour on top of the cannelloni.) Add cubed mozzarella to the sausage and sauce mixture and continue stirring while slowly whisking in the egg yolks; mix to combine cover and set aside.
4. Cook pasta according to package directions, rinse under cold water and reserve being careful to keep the pasta from breaking.
5. Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Spread 3/4 cup of the reserved béchamel sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch oiled baking dish. Spoon filling into each pasta tube. Start from one end and using your finger to push the filling all the way through.
6. Nestle the cannelloni in the sauce and cover with remaining béchamel sauce.
7. Top with mozzarella and parmesan cheese and a sprinkling of oregano.
8. Bake in for 45 minutes or until heated through and cheese starts to turn golden.
9. Remove from oven; let stand for 5 minutes, then serve.

Notes

* Cut sausage link end to end, about three-quarters of the way through. Flip sausage link over, grasp casing and pull off.

The sausage provides an extra boost of delicious Italian flavors. A fantastic white sauce is used along with mozzarella and parmesan cheeses to finish the meal. When it’s all over, you’ve got yourself a phenomenal meal and a new favorite recipe!

Attribution

Recipe and photo used with permission from: Johnsonville, LLC