Instructions
Sauce:
Heat the olive oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions, Essence, salt and red pepper, and sauté until the onions are soft, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and their juices, the basil, thyme, oregano and bay leaves and bring to boil. Reduce the heat and simmer the sauce has thickened somewhat, but is still chunky, about 45 minutes.
Cannelloni:
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Heat the olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, pancetta, Essence, salt, and red pepper and cook until the onions are soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the tomato paste and wine, and stir well to incorporate. Cook until half of the wine has evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook until just pink, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the basil and oregano, stir well, and remove from the heat. Spread the mixture onto a baking sheet or large plate to cool quickly.
For the sauce:
Add the cream and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Discard the bay leaves, adjust the seasoning to taste.
For the cannelloni:
In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, the shrimp mixture and egg. Adjust seasoning to taste.
Butter a 13 x 9-inch baking dish.
Spread about 1 cup of the tomato sauce over the bottom of the dish.
Working from both ends, using a pastry bag, stuff each manicotti shell with about 1/4 cup of filling and place on the tomato sauce. Repeat with the remaining pasta and filling, lining up in rows in the pan.
Pour the remaining sauce over the cannelloni and cover tightly with foil.
Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Uncover and continue baking until golden brown and bubbling, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
If desired, sprinkle each serving with additional grated Parmesan.
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
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