Creamy Cannelloni With Chicken And Almonds
Grrrrrgh!
Course : Italian
From: HungryMonster.com
Serves: 6
 

Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
  22                    precooked dried cannelloni
                        - shells  -- (see note)
   2                    chopped tomatoes
   2      tablespoons   freshly grated parmesan
                        - cheese
                        ***SAUCE***
   3      tablespoons   butter
   1                    chopped onion
   3      tablespoons   flour
   1 1/2  cups          chicken stock
   1      cup           light cream
                        salt and pepper to taste
     3/4  cup           grated swiss cheese
                        ***FILLING***
   1 1/2  cups          diced cooked chicken
   1      package       frozen spinach -- thawed and
                        - drained
     3/4  cup           ricotta cheese
     1/3  cup           toasted slivered almonds
     1/4  cup           freshly grated parmesan
                        - cheese
   1                    egg
     1/4  teaspoon      grated nutmeg
 

Preparation:

Sauce: Melt butter in a saucepan. Sauté‚onion until tender. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Add stock, cream, salt and pepper. Cook until boiling and thickened, 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the Swiss cheese. Cover with waxed paper and set aside. Filling: Combine chicken, spinach, Ricotta, almonds, Parmesan, egg and nutmeg. Blend all ingredients together. Assembly: Place filling in the pre-cooked shells. Pour a thin layer of sauce over the bottom of a baking dish. Arrange the stuffed cannelloni in a single layer over the sauce. Sprinkle with the chopped tomatoes, and pour the sauce over the cannelloni. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Cover with aluminium foil. Bake at 350F for 60-70 minutes or until pasta is soft and the top bubbles. Note: The kind of pasta used in this dish is dried, but is usually called "oven ready". I believe it is coated in egg whites to enable it to cook right in the oven when well-covered in sauce. If you make the dish ahead and refrigerate, the cooking time will be cut down because the pasta will soften in the refrigeration.