THE SOPRANO'S CANNELLONI

Steps:

• TO ASSEMBLE.
• 11/2 pounds homemade or store-bought fresh pasta, such as fresh lasagne sheets.
• Cut into 4-inch squares.
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.
• PREPARATION.
• Prepare the bechamel and set aside. To make the filling, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the meats and garlic and cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until the meat is no longer pink. Tip the pan and spoon off the excess fat. Stir in the spinach and 1 cup of the bechamel sauce. Taste for salt and pepper. If the sausage is highly seasoned, you may not need any. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly, then stir in the cheese. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt to taste. Have ready a large bowl of cold water, and spread out some lint-free (not terry cloth) kitchen towels on a flat surface. Add the pasta squares to the pot a few at a time and cook less than 1 minute; they should be slightly underdone. Scoop the pasta out of the pot and place it in the cold water until cool enough to handle, then lay the pasta squares out flat on the towels. Continue cooking and cooling the remaining pasta in the same way. Preheat the oven to 350°F Butter two 11 x 8 x 2-inch baking dishes. To assemble the cannelloni, spread a thin layer of sauce over the bottom of each baking dish.