Pularda de la Casa cannelloni: The traditional Christmas recipe in Catalonia (12 servings)

Cannelloni de Pularda de la Casa are a traditional dish that occupies a prominent place in Christmas celebrations in Catalonia, especially on December 26, Sant Esteve. This delicious dish is perfect for a Christmas meal and has become an essential recipe on many tables. If you are looking to bring tradition to your home with a touch of excellence, here we leave you the step by step to prepare perfect cannelloni de pularda , with its delicious filling and its creamy béchamel sauce , all from scratch. This recipe is designed to make 12 servings of approximately 180 grams of filling, 3 units of cannelloni of 60 grams per serving).

Ingredients

For the chicken filling:

• 80 gr of sunflower oil
• 1 kg of onion, cut into thick julienne strips
• 250 g of bread
• 1 lamb brain
• 50 g chicken liver
• 0.5 L of milk
• 250 g of cream
• 250 gr of veal neck
• 250 gr of lean pork
• 1 kg of chicken
• 125 g of duck foie gras
• Salt, white pepper and nutmeg to taste

For the bechamel sauce:

• 2 liters of whole milk
• 160 gr of butter
• 1 medium onion
• 17 grams of salt
• 2 gr of white pepper a lot
• 2 grams of nutmeg
• 80 gr of flour
• 40 grams of brandy

For the cannelloni:

• 60 gr of poularda filling per serving
• 200 gr of bechamel sauce
• 3 plates of fresh egg pasta for cannelloni or the traditional “El Polit”
• Parmesan and Emmental cheese to taste

preparation

Preparation of the pularda filling

The first step to prepare the cannelloni is to make the pularda filling:

1. In a large saucepan, heat the sunflower oil and add the onion with a little salt, white pepper and nutmeg. Cook the onion over low heat, avoiding browning, until fully cooked.

2. Meanwhile, toast the bread cut into 2-3 cm thick slices, in the oven at 160 °C, without it taking on color and add it to the pan.

3. Roast the chicken in the oven at 180°C for 35 minutes. Once roasted, leave to cool, bone and cut the meat into cubes of approximately 3 cm. Keep the meat and skin, lightly flour the meat to fry without it taking color in a pan with sunflower oil and add to the casserole.

4. In a pan, sauté the brains and cleaned livers with a little sunflower oil, add 125 ml of milk and cook for 5 minutes. Blend this mixture with a blender until you obtain a smooth cream.

5. Once everything is ready, add the remaining milk and previously boiled cream. Cook for 1 hour and a half in the oven at 160 °C, stirring every 20 minutes.

6. After this time, add the chicken and its skin, without bones, and let it cook covered for another 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Then, add the cream of brains and livers and let it cook covered for another 15 minutes. Check the cooking of the meats and remove from the oven. Leave to cool for approximately 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

7. Finally, add the duck foie cut into pieces and pass the mixture through a mincer or food processor to achieve a fine texture. Adjust the salt and set aside.

Preparation of the bechamel sauce

1. Boil the milk and, in a separate saucepan, smother the onion with butter, salt, pepper and nutmeg over low heat, preventing it from browning.

2. Add the flour and cook over low heat without it taking on color, creating a roux.

3. Slowly pour in the hot milk and add the brandy. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens and is smooth.

4. Filter the sauce to avoid any remaining onion and reserve.

Armed and baked cannelloni

1. Cook the sheets of fresh cannelloni pasta in salted water for 2 minutes if fresh (if dry, follow manufacturer's directions). Once cooked, cool them with ice water and drain well.

2. Place the plates on a clean cloth and cover with another cloth to dry. Fill each plate with the pularda filling using a pastry cutter or, if you prefer, by hand, forming elongated cylinders of the appropriate size for each plate and roll the cannelloni.

3. In a baking tray, put a layer of béchamel on the bottom, place the stuffed cannelloni and cover them generously with more béchamel. Grate Parmesan cheese over the cannelloni and finish with a layer of grated Emmental cheese.

4. Bake at 180°C in convection mode until golden brown and crispy, about 20 minutes.

Enjoy the tradition!

Enjoy this delicious dish with your family and friends and share the magic of home cooking this holiday season.

If you prefer not to prepare the recipe at home, you can find our exquisite Pularda de la Casa cannelloni ready to enjoy in Baixas , your trusted pastry shop and catering service in Barcelona. Order now and celebrate the holidays without complications! Merry Christmas!