Serving fish and seafood on Christmas menus is a classic that pleases everyone and adds a festive touch to the table. Prawn skewers or smoked salmon and avocado on a slice of bread are some of the ideas that go down best when you bring them to the table. And what if this year you do it in a different way? I propose you elevate your menu and treat yourself to fish and seafood cannelloni with a flavour so incredible that all your guests will want seconds. And no, it’s not a difficult dish and you won’t have to spend all day at the stove.
If you live in Catalonia or have Catalan roots, you’ll know that there is a long‑standing tradition of eating them at Christmas, especially on December 26, the feast of Saint Stephen. Traditional cannelloni are usually meat-filled, with the caveat that in the Italian versions the meat is sautéed already minced, and in other versions the meat is cooked whole first and then minced. It’s also true that there are as many versions of cannelloni as households—and all of them are superb!
Step-by-step guide to making fish cannelloni
In former times, cannelloni sheets were made by hand, which took a considerable amount of time. With the advent of dried sheets from El Pavo in 1911, the task became more manageable and today they’re a doddle, so to speak.
It is true that you should roll them up tightly to prevent them from opening, but it doesn’t require tricky techniques or impossible ingredients. In principle, from start to finish you’ll need about one hour and a quarter, but bear in mind that 25 minutes are spent in the oven, giving you the freedom to attend to something else.
Ingredients
- 12 cannelloni sheets
- 600 g hake fillet, cleaned and flaked
- 20–24 peeled prawns
- 2 tbsp tomato sauce
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 400 ml fish stock
- 100 g grated cheese
- Black pepper
- Chopped parsley
- Chopped chives
- Oil
- Salt
Method
- The first step is to chop the prawns, keeping a few aside for garnish. Also, cook the cannelloni sheets according to the package instructions.
- Heat oil in a casserole and sauté the garlic and onion. Add the tomato sauce and, after a few minutes, stir in the flour and the stock.
- When the mixture comes to a boil, add the hake, the prawns and the parsley. Season with salt and pepper and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Drain but keep the juice, as you’ll use it later.
- Preheat the oven to 190 °C. Transfer the filling to a piping bag to make it easier to handle. Lay the sheets on a dry cloth and distribute the filling.
- Roll the sheets to seal them well and transfer them to a baking dish. Pour over the sauce, sprinkle with the cheese and bake for 25 minutes.
- Meanwhile, sauté the reserved prawns and garnish the cannelloni with them. Also scatter with the chives.
See how good they look? And they’re very easy to make. You can also prepare them in advance and keep them in the fridge, well covered with cling film. At the last moment you’ll just need to add the cheese and gratinate.
