Cannelloni
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Cannelloni usually refers to rectangular pasta sheets that are rolled with a filling. However, sometimes the pasta dough is replaced with a cooked crepe, generally 8-10 cm (3-4 inches) in length and once rolled, 2 cm (1 inch) in diameter. After cooking the crepe (or boiling the pasta), it is typically filled with a savory stuffing which may include ricotta cheese, spinach, and various meats. It is then covered with a sauce, typically classic tomato or bechamel sauce, although many variations exist. Cannelloni is often confused with manicotti, the major difference being that manicotti are preshaped tubes.[1] In Italian, cannelloni literally means "large reeds" , while manicotti means "sleeve". Although both terms are plural nouns in Italian, the English term is often construed as singular, particularly when used as the name of the dish. The term manicotti is more common in the United States, so the two terms have been used interchangeably.
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[edit] History of the Cannelloni
The cannelloni was invented in 1907 at the restaurant La Favorita better know as the 'O Parrucchiano in Sorrento, Italy by the chef Salvatore Coletta.
They were known as strascinati because the pasta was rolled and stretched by a rolling pin. They acquired a remarkable reputation along with the chef Nicola Federico (born in Naples July 2, 1891) who moved to Sorrento at a young age and married the young Sorrentina, Fortunata Scarpati (born December 26, 1901). Nicola worked in the restaurant for 31 years and became famous because of the Zeppole di San Giuseppe and the strascinati, which in the meantime had taken the name cannelloni.
During the Second World War, with many families moving to Sorrento from Naples to escape the bombings, the cannelloni experienced a boom and became the popular dish of the restaurant particularly on Sundays. It was recalled that 120 kg of pasta was prepared and completely consumed in one day.
[edit] The Original Tomato Sauce
Luisella Romano, a Sorrentina that worked at 'O Parrucchiano for approximately 70 years, until she passed away at the age of 90, was exclusively assigned to prepare the tomatoes for the sauce that was used to give flavor to the cannelloni and the famous Napolitano ragù.
Unripe San Marzano tomatoes were prepared into a sauce then put to dry under the sunlight in large maiolicati plates. At night they were covered to avoid exposure to excessive humidity and from damaging the product. This tomato sauce contained a combination of fennel, onions, extra virgin olive oil, beef and pork, with a further addition of ripe fresh tomatoes. All these ingredients were cooked so slowly that quite often the preparation began the day before.
[edit] Other uses
The American composer Peter Schickele has called for an uncooked manicotti tube, which he calls "pastaphone," to be used as a musical instrument (played in the manner of a horn) in works by the fictional composer P. D. Q. Bach. [2]
[edit] References
- ^ Food lover's Companion, third edition, Sharon Tyler Herbst, copyright 2001 Barron's Educational Series, inc.
- ^ Blau, Eleanor (1998-12-25). Oh, No! Still More (Quite a Bit More!) From P.D.Q. Bach.. The New York Times. Retrieved on 2007-12-31.
- Make cannelloni from scratch - easy recipe
