Angela's Italian Recipe for Shrimp and Crab Cannelloni


Ingredients:
For the Sauce:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 and 3/4 cups chopped onions
3 tablespoons minced garlic
2 lbs plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded, chopped
One 28-ounces can Italian-style tomatoes
1/3 cup (packed) chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
3/4 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

For the Cannelloni:
16 lasagna noodles (preferably 3 to 4 inches wide)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 and 1/4 cups chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
12 ounces uncooked shrimp, peeled, deveined, chopped
5 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

1 and 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
3/4 cup grated provolone cheese
1/3 cup grated Parmigiano cheese
6 ounces fresh crabmeat
1 egg, beaten to blend

Directions:

Prepare the Sauce:
Heat olive oil in large pot over medium-high heat.

Add onions and garlic and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes.

Mix in fresh tomatoes, canned tomatoes with their juices, basil, thyme, oregano, bay leaves and crushed red pepper and bring to boil.

Reduce heat and simmer until sauce is reduced to scant 5 cups, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes.

Discard bay leaves.

Working in batches, puree sauce in blender; return to same pot.

Add cream and vinegar and simmer 15 minutes.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate.

Prepare the Cannelloni:
Cook noodles in pot of boiling salted water until almost tender. Drain. Cool in bowl of cold water.

Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.

Add onion and garlic; saute until onion is tender, about 6 minutes.

Add shrimp; saute just until opaque, about 3 minutes.

Stir in basil, oregano and crushed red pepper. Cool.

Mix ricotta, provolone, and Parmigiano cheeses, crabmeat and shrimp mixture in bowl.

Season with salt and pepper.

Mix in egg.

Butter 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish.

Spread generous 1 cup tomato cream sauce in bottom of dish.

Drain lasagna noodles; trim to 8-inch lengths.
Spread scant 1/3 cup shrimp filling over each noodle, leaving 1/2-inch border on all sides.

Starting at 1 short end, roll up each noodle jelly roll style. Place in prepared pan, seam side down. Pour remaining sauce over cannelloni. Cover with foil. (Can be made 1 day ahead; refrigerate.) Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake foil-covered cannelloni until heated through, about 45 minutes. Serves 8.