Raos Manicotti Food

MANICOTTI RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9"x13" baking dish with cooking spray.

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.

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.

RAO'S MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Combine beef, veal and pork in a large bowl. Add eggs, cheese, parsley, garlic and salt & pepper to taste. Using your hands, blend ingredients together. Blend breadcrumbs into meat mixture. Slowly add water, 1 cup at a time, at a time until the mixture is quite moist.
• Shape meat mixture into 6 oz. balls.
• In a large sauté pan, add oil and heat over medium-high heat until hot, but not smoking. Fry meatballs in batches. When bottom of meatball is very brown and slightly crisp, turn and cook top half. Remove from pan and place on paper towels to drain.
• Once meatballs have drained any excess oil, place meatballs into simmering Rao's Homemade® Marinara Sauce and cook for 15 minutes or until meatballs are hot through and through.
• If serving a meatball sub, while meatballs are cooking in the Rao's Homemade® Marinara Sauce, horizontally slice Italian bread and remove inner bread by hand and lightly toast, add 3 meatballs, placing a dollop of sauce over each meatball and serve.

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.

MANICOTTI

Steps:

• To make the crepes, in a blender, combine the flour, water, eggs, and salt and blend, scraping down the sides of the bowl, until the batter is smooth. Transfer to a bowl. Heat a 6 to 7-inch skillet over moderately high heat until hot. Brush the skillet with about 1 teaspoon of the olive oil to coat well and heat the oil until hot. Pour 1/4 cup of the batter into the center of the skillet and lift and tilt the pan to coat the bottom with a thin layer. Cook until the batter is set and the underside is golden, about 1 minute more, and invert onto a plate. Make additional crepes with the remaining batter in the same manner. Crepes may be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Freeze for up to 1 month. Defrost in the refrigerator before using.) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a large shallow baking dish.
• To make the filling, in a bowl combine all of the ingredients, except for the sauce.
• To assemble, lay each crepe on a work surface, attractive side down, spoon 3 tablespoons of the filling down the center, and fold in the edges to enclose the filling. Fill the remaining crepes in the same manner. Spoon 1 to 1 1/2 cups of marinara sauce into the flameproof baking dish in an even layer. Arrange the crepes, seam side down, in the dish and spoon on enough of the remaining sauce to coat the crepes. (The dish may be assembled several hours or 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Allow longer baking time if refrigerated.) Bake for 15 minutes, or until the crepes are heated through and their edges are slightly crisp. Sprinkle with additional Parmesan to taste and put the crepes under the broiler, about 3 to 4 inches from the heat, for 2 minutes, or until the top is golden.
• In a deep skillet set over moderate heat, heat the olive oil until hot. Add the garlic and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until they're pale golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the tomatoes, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have reduced and separated from the oil, 15 to 20 minutes. Add the red pepper to taste, if desired and simmer for 2 minutes more.
• Yield: makes 4 to 6 servings

RAO'S MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Prepare crepe batter. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. When well combined, whisk in flour until smooth. Set aside to rest for at least one hour. Heat a 6-inch, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly spray pan and return to heat. Pour a scant 1/4 cup of batter into the pan, swirling to cover the bottom evenly. Cook for about 30 seconds or until it is just set and the bottom is lightly browned. Turn the crepe over carefully with spatula. Cook for an additional 15 seconds or until set. Remove from pan and place on a piece of waxed paper. Continue cooking and stacking, placing a square of waxed paper in between each crepe, until all batter has been cooked. You may end up with 14 crepes, two are allowed for breakage. Prepare filling. Using a wooden spoon, combine ricotta, egg yolks, diced mozzarella, Pecorino Romano cheese, salt and pepper until well-blended. Lay crepes out in a single layer. Place a heaping tablespoonful of the ricotta mixture in the center at the top of the crepe, spreading out to the edges. Fold the ricotta-covered portion over onto the crepe. Fold the edges in and roll into a firm packet. Spread marinara sauce over the bottom of a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan. Lay rolled crepes on top of the sauce. Put a slice of mozzarella on top of each rolled crepe. Bake in a preheated 375 degree F oven until filling is hot and cheese has melted, about 20 minutes. Serve, allowing 2 pieces per person. Makes 6 servings.