Flamenco cannelloni.

Why flamenco?

No, they are not frilly and are not accompanied by hand clapping.
These cannelloni are Flemish… but from Flanders, not from tablao.

The name comes from the Belgian region of Flanders, cradle of a glorious stew called “stoofvlees”, or, if you want to get fancy, carbonade flamande.

A veal stew slowly cooked in Belgian dark beer, literally, which makes it a sweet, fruity, thick sauce… and which is traditionally served with some good“frites” (yes, fries with mayonnaise, as Belgian canons and Flemish grandmothers demand).

For me, it is the star dish of Belgium. And that’s why I have decided to pay tribute to it with a hybrid recipewithout complexes:
Cannelloni stuffed with meat “flamenca”, bathed in Neapolitan tomato sauce.

And although cannelloni were born in Italy, Catalan cuisine has proudly made them its own: they are the undisputed protagonists at Christmas in many homes in Catalonia, where this tradition does not fail year after year.

So it fills me with pride and satisfaction to present you this multicultural fusion dish:
Italo-Catalan-Belgian (yes, not easy to pronounce, but easy to love).

Ingredients for the filling:

1. Cannelloni pasta
2. Diced veal (500 gr)
3. Black beer (4-5 bottles)
4. Carrot (x2)
5. Onion (x2)
6. Pear syrup / fruit
7. Slice of bread (x2)
8. Dijon mustard
9. Bouillon cube or 250 ml of meat stock (x1)

Spices:

1. Bay leaf
2. Salt and pepper

Ingredients for the tomato sauce:

1. Garlic cloves (x4).
2. 600gr peeled tomatoes.
3. Good handful of basil.

Ingredients for the béchamel sauce:

1. Butter (100 gr.)
2. Flour (150 gr.)
3. Whole milk (800 ml.)
4. Nutmeg to taste.

Now comes the best part:

How to make the stuffing (Stoovlees):

1. Mark the meat:

Cut the meat into medium pieces. In a large pan, heat a little oil or butter and sear the pieces of meat on all sides until well browned. Remove and set aside.

2.Deglaze with the beer:

Pour the beer into the same pan to deglaze, scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon to recover all the caramelized juices.

3. Add the onion and aromatics:

Stir in the julienned onion, bay leaf and bouillon cube (or liquid stock) and carrot. Spread the bread slices with the mustard and place it on top, directly in the mixture.

4. Cook until the onion is tender:

Cook over medium heat until the onion is translucent and the bread has started to fall apart, integrating into the sauce.

5. Add the meat and stew:

Return the meat to the pan, stir and cook over medium-low heat for about 2 hours, or until the meat is very tender and falls apart easily with a fork.

6. Correct

Of salt and pepper, and let cool slightly before using as a filling for the cannelloni.

Assembly and baking:

1. Prepare the oven base:

In a large oven-safe dish, add a layer of tomato sauce and a few spoonfuls of bechamel sauce. Lightly mix both sauces with a spoon to form a creamy and tasty base. This will prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom and will add juiciness.

2. Fill the cannelloni:

Shred the meat with a fork (or even by hand if it is cold) until a uniform texture is obtained.

3. Prepare the meat:

Shred the stoofvlees meat with a fork (or even by hand if cold) to a uniform texture.

4. Filling in the pasta:

Fill each pastry tube with the meat using a small spoon or a piping bag. Place them side by side on top of the sauce base in the serving dish.

5. Cover with sauces:

Once all the cannelloni are placed, cover them generously with the rest of the béchamel sauce and then add a layer of tomato sauce on top. You can make a smooth marbling by mixing the two with the back of a spoon for a more attractive presentation.

7. Add the cheese:

Sprinkle liberally with grated cheese or Parmesan. You can use just one or a mixture for a more flavorful gratin

Tips:

• You can add to the bechamel sauce:

• 1. Grated cheese to make a “cheese sauce”.
  2. Pili-pili or paprika de la vera for a spicier touch.
  3. Truffle for a more glamorous style.

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