With a sauce of creamy béchamel spiked with Louisiana crawfish layered over stuffed pasta, my Crawfish Cannelloni is baked bubbly hot. And thanks to my sister, this is one of the classic dishes that helped propel my lifelong culinary journey.
Rich and creamy, Crawfish Cannelloni combines the best of two cultures. (Photo credit: George Graham)
My sister Marie Graham Huguet introduced me to a perfect plate of Italian cannelloni some years ago in one of the unlikeliest locations. My sister is a skillful cook that has always pursued adventure in the kitchen—an influence that helped shape my early palate. Lucky for me, she and her husband Jim moved around to unique regional locations (Houston, Philly, Tulsa, and Connecticut to name a few) and my visits were always a tasty education.
One locale, in particular, was St. Louis, Missouri where there is a rich Italian American culinary heritage in a vibrant community called The Hill. With dozens of great Italian eateries, it was in one of those little joints that my sister insisted that I order the cannelloni—pasta shells stuffed with herb-infused ricotta layered with a creamy sauce. At a young and impressionable age, I was astounded at the flavors and textures that a kid from small-town Louisiana had never experienced. At that time of my life, Chef Boyardee was about as close to Italian as my taste buds had gotten. But this cannelloni–slathered with piping hot sauce and bursting with cheesy filling–was a culinary awakening that I still count as one of the top gastronomic experiences of my life.
Located in Baton Rouge, LA, The Village was an icon of Italian cooking during its heyday. (Photo credit: Internet archives)
My sister discovered cannelloni during her college years at LSU in Baton Rouge where she dined at The Village–a legendary Italian restaurant owned by Vince Distefano that has long since closed its doors. She learned to make it classically with meat stuffing accented with spinach, cheese, and herbs and topped with a combination of traditional red sauce and white béchamel.
On numerous occasions, I’ve ordered cannelloni from a menu to lackluster results, and I’ve even adventured into my kitchen to try and recreate that original dish. Recently, I experimented with a version that duplicates that first time, but with a decidedly Cajun flavor profile that suits my taste these days. It is a recipe that combines the best of international flavors with locally sourced ingredients that fit right into my Acadiana Table repertoire.
Marie Graham Huguet, one of the best cooks I know. (Photo credit: Lauren Huguet Bush)
Today, I am sharing this recipe for Crawfish Cannelloni with you. And perhaps, you’ll make a food memory for someone you love.
Thank you, sister.
Randol’s brand Louisiana crawfish tail meat is one of the best. (Photo credit: George Graham)
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¾ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 5 cups half and half
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Pinch of white pepper
- Pinch of nutmeg
- Dash of hot sauce
- 1 pound Louisiana crawfish tail meat
- 12 cannelloni (manicotti) pasta shells
- 3 cups ricotta cheese
- 3 large egg yolks
- 6 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
- ½ pound Louisiana crawfish tail meat, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon Acadiana Table Cajun Seasoning Blend, see recipe here
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- In a large non-stick skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and stir in the flour, using a rubber spatula. Cook the flour to eliminate the raw taste and add the half and half, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. Season the mixture with cayenne, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir in the tomato paste for color and season with a dash of hot sauce. Add the crawfish tails and reduce the heat to simmer. Cook until the mixture is reduced to a smooth, creamy consistency and the crawfish is just warmed through, 5 to 10 minutes. Sample the sauce and adjust to your taste. Turn off the heat, cover, and keep warm until serving.
- Preheat your oven to 375ºF.
- In a large pot filled halfway with water over high heat, bring the water to a boil and add the pasta. Cook until al dente. Drain and cool the pasta shells. Wrap the shells in a moist towel until ready to use.
- In a mixing bowl, add the ricotta, egg yolks, parsley, and crawfish. Season with Cajun seasoning, pepper, and salt, and stir to combine thoroughly.
- Using a pastry bag, fill the pasta shells with the crawfish stuffing.
- Spread a thin layer of sauce and add the filled pasta shells to a baking dish coated with non-stick spray. Pour the remaining crawfish cream over the top and sprinkle with grated cheese. Bake in the oven until bubbling and beginning to brown on top, 20 to 35 minutes. Serve with French bread and a chilled white wine.
Louisiana crawfish and pasta is a tasty combination. (Photo credit: George Graham)
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Heavenly! For those of you not familiar w/ the family traditions of crawfish farming in south LA (SOLA), note that LOUISIANA crawfish are specified. Foreign crawfish are cheaper but undercut family farming in SOLA, and some non-US crawfish are treated w/ antibiotics that are unhealthy for human consumption.
Hey Lina-
AMEN!
I wish the grocery stores in north Louisiana would stock the Louisiana crawfish! I refuse to buy the foreign.
If they do have LA crawfish it is three times the price!! Why?
Toni- Not sure where you are located, but I am certain that you can buy Louisiana crawfish in Shreveport or Monroe area supermarkets. Thanks for not buying the inferior, mass-produced, imported crawfish product. Our Louisiana farming families invest heavily into their operations to ensure that consumers get a superior tasting product in every crawfish dish. So, why is the price higher? Because the food you feed your family is of much higher quality. All the best to you.
Can I freeze the cannelloni?
Hey Martha-
Yes, you can freeze cannelloni just as you would make a lasagna ahead and freeze. Assemble the dish, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze. Place in the refrigerator overnight to thaw and bake as directed. All the best.
This is a dish that looks and sounds wonderful. i have the wife defrosting the crawfish as we speak and will try this out. I lived in Lafayette area for 7 years and moved to Eunice for 7 more years. I enjoyed many years of seafood. I grew up in SE New Mexico and moved to Lafayette in 1973 and worked offshore on the drilling rigs and ran downhole tools. Left in 1987 and moved back to New Mexico for 23 years and now in San Antonio area. My mom is from Evangeline (Doucet), and I love our heritage.
I do love your recipes.
Thanks Donald-
Keep preaching the gospel of Cajun cooking throughout the Southwest and come visit when you can. All the best.
I was excited to see the photo of The Village. If I remember correctly, it was near the intersection of Florida Blvd & Airline. I ate there several times in the mid ‘70s when I was in high school and especially loved a steak dish they had that was topped with melted cheese. Thanks for bringing back great culinary memories.
I also add Fresh Basil Leaves. Adds extra layer of goodness
Question: Why do you just use egg yolks in the filling? Our Italian family used the whole egg.
Thank you for this recipe! Can’t wait to try it.
Mary- The simple answer is “richness.” When combined with the ricotta cheese, the yolk-only method brings a velvety taste and texture to the filling. Try it as the recipe is written, and I believe you will love the difference. All the best.
Is there anyway to save these delicious recipes on Pinterest?
Mary- While I do not have a Pinterest button on the blog, you can still manually cut and paste to your feed. All the best.
This looks like a great way to incorporate crawfish into a dish! I love whole crawfish, but often can only find the crawfish pre-cooked and peeled like what you call for in this recipe. I’ll definitely give this one a go.
I am definitely going to try this. I live in northern California. We go out to the river, set traps, drink beer, and hand pick them with the kids. We love mud bugs out here.
Robert- Great to hear that crawfish are catching on in northern California. That said, you surprised me with “beer.” I would have thought that a nicely chilled Napa Pinot Noir would go well with a crawfish cannelloni. All the best.
When adding the whole crawfish tails, am I supposed to also included the fat?
Hey Sonja- Oh yeah! Fat equals flavor when it comes to crawfish, and I urge you to rinse out the packet of crawfish tails with stock or liquid to flavor your sauce. There was a time that fresh crawfish fat was sold in stores, but regretfully, those days are over. All the best.