Louies Holiday Manicotti Food

MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• If using fresh spinach, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat, and season generously with salt. Fill a medium bowl with ice water and season with salt. Boil the spinach until tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, (keep the water in the pot boiling), and immediately plunge the spinach into the ice water. Drain and squeeze the excess water from the spinach, and finely chop. Alternatively, if using thawed spinach, simply squeeze, and finely chop. Set aside.
• In the same large pot of boiling water, cook the manicotti shells according to the package directions until al dente. Drain and pat dry.
• Spread 1 cup of the marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Lightly beat the eggs in a medium bowl. Add the spinach, ricotta, mozzarella, and 1/3 cup of the grated cheese and mix until evenly combined. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt, the nutmeg and pepper. Spoon the cheese mixture into the manicotti shells and line them up in the baking dish. Cover with the remaining 2 cups sauce. Scatter the remaining 2/3 cup grated cheese on top and dot with the butter.
• Bake for 30 minutes. Serve immediately.
• Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and the herb sprigs and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes.
• Remove and discard the herb sprigs. Stir in 2 teaspoons salt and season with pepper to taste. Use right away, or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.
• Yield: 3 1/2 cups
• Copyright 2001 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved.

LOUIE'S HOLIDAY MANICOTTI

Steps:

• In a large saucepan over high heat, add olive oil. Sauté onion and garlic until onions are translucent.
• In a blender, process cashews and water until completely smooth, then add sautéed onions and garlic and process again. Add nutmeg and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and set sauce aside.
• In a food processor, combine hominy, tofu, breadcrumbs, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/3 cup sauce until the consistency of ricotta is reached. Transfer mixture to a large bowl, and add butternut squash and 1/3 cup vegan mozzarella.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Coat bottom and sides of a 9- by 12-inch pan with a small amount of sauce. Fill pasta tubes with hominy mixture (by hand or using a pastry bag) and arrange in pan. Cover manicotti with sauce, then top with remaining vegan mozzarella. Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with extra sauce on the side.

EASY MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Combine Ricotta, Mozzarella, grated Parmesan, sugar, egg, nutmeg, parsley, salt and pepper to taste.
• Stuff uncooked manicotti generously with the cheese mixture, from both ends.
• Arrange manicotti in a single layer in a baking pan.
• Bring sauce to a boil and pour over manicotti, covering completely.
• Cover baking pan with aluminum foil, crimping the edges to seal tightly.
• Bake in a preheated 400 degree Fahrenheit oven for 40 minutes.
• Remove foil; sprinkle generously with additional grated cheese.
• Bake uncovered for 5 minutes more.

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.

BEEF AND CHEESE MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Heat a heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon of the olive oil, onion and ground beef. Season with salt and pepper. Saute until the meat browns and the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, and cool.
• Brush 1 teaspoon of oil over a large baking sheet. Cook the manicotti in a large pot of boiling salted water until slightly softened, but still very firm to the bite, about 4 to 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the manicotti from the pot to the oiled baking sheet and cool.
• Meanwhile, combine the ricotta, 1 1/2 to 2 cups mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan, and parsley. Add the garlic, salt, and pepper to taste, and mix. Stir the cooled meat mixture into the cheese mixture.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Brush the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil over a 13 by 9 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Spoon 1 1/2 cups of the marinara sauce over the bottom of the prepared dish. Fill the manicotti with the cheese-meat mixture. Arrange the stuffed pasta in a single layer in the prepared dish and spoon the remaining sauce over.
• Sprinkle the remaining 1 1/2 cups of mozzarella cheese, then the remaining 1/2 cup of Parmesan over the stuffed pasta. Dot entire dish with the butter pieces. Bake the manicotti uncovered until heated through and the sauce bubbles on the sides of the dish, about 30 to 35 minutes. Let the manicotti stand 5 minutes and serve.

SEAFOOD STUFFED MANICOTTI

Steps:

• In a wide fry pan over medium heat, melt butter. Add onion and carrot and cook until soft (don't overcook).
• Stir in parsley, diced tomatoes with liquid, chicken broth, and basil.
• Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes or until sauce thickens, then set aside.
• In a large bowl combine crab, shrimp, green onions, and fontina cheese. Set filling aside.
• Cook manicotti in boiling water, according to package directions, until slightly firm - do not overcook!
• Rinse cooked manicotti with cold water and drain well. Set aside.
• Now prepare the FONTINA WHITE SAUCE recipe as follows:.
• In a wide fry pan over medium heat, melt butter or margarine. Add onion and cook until soft.
• Blend in flour and cook, stirring until bubbly.
• Gradually pour in milk and chicken broth, cooking and stirring until sauce thickens and boils.
• Remove from heat and add shredded fontina cheese, dry vermouth, nutmeg, and white pepper. Still just until cheese melts.
• CASSEROLE ASSEMBLY:.
• Stuff each manicotti with the seafood filling (roughly about 4 tablespoons).
• Spoon half of the tomato sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 13 casserole dish. Arrange filled pasta side by side in the sauce.
• Pour some of the sauce into the casserole but not directly onto the manicotti. (remainder of sauce can be offered separately).
• Pour the Fontina White Sauce down the center of the casserole (lengthwise).
• Sprinkle with 1/3 of the Parmesan cheese. (remaining Parmesan is sprinkled after baking).
• At this point you may cool, cover, and refrigerate until next day.
• Bake uncovered at 375°F for 20-25 minutes, or until lightly browned and heated through. (35 minutes if refrigerated).
• Sprinkle remaining Parmesan cheese over top and offer as a side any remaining sauce.