Florentine Manicotti Food

FLORENTINE MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Melt butter in small skillet on medium heat. Add onions and garlic; cook and stir 3 min. or until onions are crisp-tender. Place in medium bowl. Add spinach, ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, eggs, lemon juice and pepper; mix well. Spoon into manicotti shells.
• Place in 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray; cover.
• Bake 40 min. or until heated through. About 5 min. before manicotti is done, heat the pasta sauce.
• Serve manicotti topped with sauce.

FLORENTINE MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Cook frozen chopped spinach per package instructions. Remove from heat; drain WELL. Let spinach cool.
• In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, grated mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt, pepper, garlic powder and ground oregano. Stir well until fully combined.
• Add spinach to the cheese mixture. Stir well, to combine.
• Cook manicotti shells according to package instructions (add to boiling water-7 minutes cook time is typical). When done, remove from heat, drain gently, and let dry.
• Fill each shell using a spoon until full of filling.
• Spread some of the spaghetti sauce over the bottom of 13x9 baking pan (enough to fully cover); put the filled pasta in a single layer on top of sauce.
• Spoon the rest of the spaghetti sauce over the top of the manicotti. Sprinkle with additional grated Parmesan cheese (or mozzarella), if desired. Cover pan with aluminum foil.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes; remove foil, then cook an additional 15 minutes. Manicotti should be hot and cheese bubbly when done. Remove pan from oven. Let sit for a minute or two, then gently remove manicotti to individual serving plates using a spatula.
• Serve with a green salad and a slice of crusty french bread, and enjoy!

CHICKEN ALFREDO MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• For the Alfredo sauce: Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp and brown, 7 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and reserve.
• Add the garlic and leeks to the skillet with the remaining bacon fat and cook until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the half-and-half, Parmesan, crushed red pepper and lemon juice and bring to a simmer. Add the cream cheese and cook until the sauce is thickened and the cheese is melted and fully incorporated, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the parsley and season with salt and black pepper.
• For the filling: Add the spinach, ricotta, chicken, Italian blend cheese, crushed red pepper, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper to a large bowl and mix until fully combined. Transfer the mixture to a large disposable piping bag (or resealable plastic bag) and snip a large hole at the end of the bag.
• For the pasta: Spoon 1 cup of the sauce on the bottom of a flameproof (not glass) 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Pipe the filling into both ends of the uncooked manicotti shells until filled and arrange them in the baking dish. Top with the remaining sauce, reserved bacon and Italian blend cheese. Cover with foil and bake until the sauce is bubbly and the pasta is cooked, 30 to 40 minutes.
• Remove the baking dish from the oven and remove the foil. Turn the oven to broil. Broil until the top is golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle with more chopped parsley.

MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water and cook the manicotti until shy of al dente, 5 to 6 minutes. Drain and cool to handle.
• For the sauce: Place in a food processor the canned tomatoes, garlic, onion, sugar, basil, parsley, thyme, salt and pepper to taste and the EVOO. Blend until smooth, and then place the sauce in a pot. Stir together with the passata or tomato sauce and simmer 20 minutes.
• Pour half of the sauce into large baking dish.
• For the filling: Mix together in a large bowl the spinach, ricotta, half the Parm, salt and pepper to taste and a little nutmeg. Taste to adjust seasonings before adding the eggs. Once the eggs are incorporated, spoon the filling into a large plastic food storage bag and trim the corner. Pipe the filling into the manicotti and put in the baking dish. Cover the casserole with the remaining sauce, Parm and mozzarella. Cover and store for a make-ahead meal.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F and bake until brown and bubbly, 30 to 35 minutes.

MANICOTTI FLORENTINE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 13x9x2-inch non-reactive baking pan; set aside.
• Prepare manicotti according to package directions; drain and set aside.
• Combine spinach, mozzarella cheese, cottage cheese and nutmeg in a bowl. Fill manicotti shells with spinach mixture. Place in prepared baking dish. Spoon spaghetti sauce on top.
• Cover and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until cheese is bubby.

VEAL FLORENTINE

Steps:

• Cook spinach according to package directions.
• Drain well and toss with 1 tablespoon of butter; set aside.
• Heat 2 tablespoons butter in medium sauce pan over medium heat.
• Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
• Add tomato sauce, wine, water, tomato paste, sugar, 1/2 tsp of the salt and 1/8 tsp of the pepper.
• Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low.
• Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Remove from heat and set aside.
• Mix flour and remaining salt and pepper in a large zip-top bag.
• Pound veal until 1/4 inch thick.
• Shake one piece of veal at a time in seasoned flour in bag to coat evenly.
• Heat oil and 2 tablespoons of butter in large skillet over medium heat.
• Add veal to skillet; cook turning over once until light brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
• Remove from heat.
• Top veal with evenly with reserved spinach, (a couple of tablespoons on each -- you won't use it all).
• Top each with a slice of cheese.
• Add sauce to skillet; do not let sauce cover cheese.
• Lift edges of veal to allow sauce to flow under.
• Heat at medium high heat, until sauce is bubbly.
• Reduce heat to medium low.
• Simmer covered 8 minutes.
• Serve immediately.
• (I serve this over cooked angel hair pasta).