Crab And Ricotta Cannelloni

I forgot to put the basil in the filling, so we put it on top.

Meh!  I didn't read the reviews of this dish because it was from Giada De Laurentiis  and her recipes almost never disappoint, this one wasn't so great for me.  I did add some garlic to the Béchamel and I think the sauce was ok, but there was a ton of it for the amount of pasta and the cannelloni was just alright.  I didn't pop for the really expensive crab that I would have had to shell myself because we are covering it with at ton of sauce and that would have been a waste, but I didn't by the cheapest crab either.  It was an expensive plate of blah.  I wouldn't mind playing around with the dish,  so I deem it fixable.  I think loosing the seafood and replacing with veggies would make me like it more.  So we will see if I ever get around to playing with the fixable recipes;). I did forget to put the basil inside the filling, so we put it on top.  The basil was needed!  I also cooked it way longer than stated, but ever got the golden brown parmesan there was in the original picture.  I was going to pop on the broiler, but dinner was already running late.


Crab And Ricotta Cannelloni
 
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 Lb lump crabmeat
1/4 Tsp salt
1/4 Tsp freshly ground white pepper
Bechamel Sauce recipe follows

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.)


Out of the oven

Before the basil