Turkey Cannelloni

In the movie Julie&Julia, they say that it's rude to say "yum" while you're eating, but I couldn't stop saying it when I made this. 

This was easily one of the most delicious things that I have ever made, and something I genuinely would be happy to get in a restaurant. But let's be honest, it's also one of the most complicated. Usually when I look for recipes, I look for simple, simple, simple. But I was craving cannelloni and I was willing to put in the effort for something a little more complex. And boy am I glad I did.

Sure, there are a tonne of ingredients and a crazy amount of directions. Sure, this recipe is a little fiddley -- especially if you make the pasta. (even if you don't make the pasta, fresh pasta is a must). But, this is one dish that is well worth the time and effort to put in. And it's a great dish for company because you can make it advance and then just bake it. A major culinary breakthrough for me!

Printable Recipe of Turkey Cannelloni

Ingredients

• 1 cup minced onion
• 1/3 cup minced carrot
• 1/3 cup diced celery
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-1.5 lb ground turkey
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 tsp chopped rosemary
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning (I substituted a mix of basil, oregano and thyme)
• 1 bay leaf
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1 cup millk
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 1 jar tomato sauce
• 1/3 cup whipping cream
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
• 1 pound fresh pasta sheets

Directions

• Heat the olive oil in a deep skillet. Add onion, carrot and celery and cook over moderate heat until softened.
• Add the garlic and cook one minute. 
• Add turkey, stirring occasionally until meat is no longer pink. 
• Add wine and reduce for one minute. Stir in broth, herbs, bay leaf and salt and pepper.
• Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Uncover and reduce until almost dry. Discard bay leaf and set mixture aside to cool.
• Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan set over moderately low heat. Whisk in flour for about two minutes. Whisk in milk, nutmeg and salt and pepper. Simmer, stirring occasionally for five minutes or until thickened. Stir in parsley and parmesan.
• Transfer cooled meat mixture to a large bowl, mix in egg yolks and cooled cheese and parsley sauce. Set aside.
• Combine the tomato sauce and cream. Set aside.
• Cut the pasta sheets crosswise into 5 inch lengths. Cook in boiling water until al dente -- should only take a couple of minutes with fresh pasta.
• Spoon some filling down the centre of one noodle and roll the noodle to enclose the filling. Transfer cannelloni seam-side down to a buttered lasagna pan until filling is complete.
• Cover cannelloni with tomato-cream sauce and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.
• Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, or until bubbling. Run under broiler for two minutes until cheese is golden.

Recipe adapted from www.allrecipes.com