Sister Salmon Cannelloni

Butternut squash rosé sauce 

Squash is one of the three sisters (corn, bean and squash), which are ancestral food sources often planted together by Indigenous communities across the continent. Combine butternut squash with tomatoes, which are also native to North America, to create a velvety smooth rosé sauce.

Ingredients:

1 medium sized butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and diced or 1 bag of frozen squash

5 fresh tomatoes, chopped (or 2 cans of diced tomatoes)

1 bunch fresh basil 

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

6 garlic cloves, rough chopped 

2 cups water (or as needed)

1 can tomato paste 

Salt and pepper to taste 

Chili flakes (optional)

4 tbsp olive oil 

In a pot on medium heat add olive oil. Sauté the onion and garlic with salt and pepper until onions are translucent. Add in the tomatoes and butternut squash, along with basil stalks, water and tomato paste. Simmer until the squash is fork tender. Add more water as needed so nothing burns or gets too thick. 

Once the squash is cooked, remove the basil stems and put the mixture in a blender with some fresh basil leaves. Blend until smooth. Be sure to taste along the way, adding salt and pepper as needed and chili flakes if desired. 

Pasta dough

Ingredients:

3 large eggs, beaten 

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp kosher salt

Mix the eggs, flour, oil and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer with your hands until a shaggy dough forms. Knead with a dough hook for about 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Cover the dough in the bowl with a cloth and let it rest for at least 30 minutes. Roll the dough out into sheets and make the desired shape for cannelloni. 

If you don't have a stand mixer, put the flour on a clean surface. Make a well in the centre and add liquids. Using a fork, gently and slowly begin to blend the flour from the sides of the well with the rest of the ingredients. Once blended into a smooth elastic dough, cover and let rest. 

Buy pre-made pasta sheets or shells to save time.  

Sister Salmon filling

Salmon is a traditional fish that can be found across the country. It is high in fatty acids and is a great source of protein. 

Ingredients: 

2 cups ricotta 

1 lemon, zested 

¼ cup fresh dill, finely chopped 

½ -1 cup raw salmon (boneless and skinless), minced 

Add all ingredients into a bowl and mix together. Feel free to add more dill, if desired. 

Spoon the mixture into the cannelloni shell. This filling can be used for other pastas, including ravioli and lasagna. 

Fold the pasta and place into a pot of salted boiling water. Once the cannelloni floats to the top of water, or the pasta is fork tender (about three to four minutes), use a slotted spoon to take each piece out of the water. 

Place a few cannelloni on a plate and add the sauce. Add cheese and/or pepper flakes if desired.