Recipes : Crab and Ricotta Cannelloni : Food Network

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Crab and Ricotta Cannelloni
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients
1 box (8 ounces) cannelloni or manicotti pasta (about
12 shells)
1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
3/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/4 cup for sprinkling
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1 pound lump crabmeat
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
Bechamel Sauce, recipe follows

Instructions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high
heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring
occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta.

In a large bowl, mix together ricotta, 3/4 cup Parmesan, egg yolk, basil, crab,
salt, and pepper.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Fill the cannelloni with the crab mixture and place in a buttered baking dish. Top
the filled cannelloni with the Bechamel Sauce and sprinkle with the remaining
Parmesan cheese. Bake until bubbly and the top is golden brown, about 15 to 20
minutes. Serve immediately.

Bechamel Sauce:
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk, warmed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk
until smooth, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the warm milk, whisking constantly,
until the sauce is thick, smooth, and creamy, about 10 minutes (do not allow the
sauce to boil). Remove from the heat and stir in the salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

(The sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead. Cool and then cover and
refrigerate.)

Yield: about 4 cups