Saucy Stuffed Manicotti Food

STUFFED MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Par-boil manicotti noodles, drain.
• Place in a bowl of cold water to prevent sticking.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Combine eggs, 1/4 cup of the parmesan cheese, 1/2 of the mozzarella,cheddar and ricotta cheeses and the seasonings.
• Drain shells, pat dry with paper towels.
• Fill shells with cheese mixture, spread 1/2 cup of the prepared spaghetti sauce over bottom of shallow 3 quart baking dish.
• Arrange filled shells over sauce; cover with remaining sauce and spoon remaining ricotta over each shell.
• Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella, cheddar and parmesan cheeses.
• Bake covered loosely with foil for 40 minutes.

MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Cook manicotti in boiling water until done. Drain, and rinse with cold water.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a large bowl, combine ricotta, mozzarella, and 1/2 cup Parmesan, eggs, parsley, and salt and pepper. Mix well.
• Pour 1/2 cup sauce into an 11x17 inch baking dish. Fill each manicotti shell with 3 tablespoons cheese mixture, and arrange over sauce . Pour remaining sauce over top, and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.
• Bake 45 minutes, or until bubbly.

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.

STUFFED MANICOTTI

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, saute onion and green pepper in olive oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in all remaining sauce ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Uncover, simmer 10-15 minutes longer or until thickened. , Meanwhile, for manicotti, cook beef and onion in a skillet until the meat is no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain; cool slightly. , Squeeze spinach thoroughly to remove excess water; add to the skillet with 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, eggs, oregano, salt and pepper. Mix well. Refrigerate 1-1/2 cups of the sauce (makes 4 cups), for another recipe. , Pour 1 cup of the remaining sauce into a 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Stuff manicotti with the meat mixture; arrange over the sauce. Pour another 1-1/2 cups of sauce on top. Sprinkle with the mozzarella and remaining Parmesan cheese. , Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a thermometer reads 160°.

CHEESE STUFFED MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir beef, onion, and roasted garlic in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Continue to simmer until pan juices evaporate, about 10 minutes more. Add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, oregano, thyme, bay leaf, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and garlic salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until flavors blend, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook manicotti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain and cool slightly.
• Mix mozzarella cheese, cottage cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, egg, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a bowl. Spoon a generous amount of the cheese mixture into each manicotti shell.
• Pour enough tomato-beef sauce to cover the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Arrange stuffed manicotti over sauce; pour remaining sauce over pasta. Cover with aluminum foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven until bubbly, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese over manicotti and return to the oven. Bake until cheese filling is melted, 10 to 15 minutes more.

CRAB-STUFFED MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add manicotti shells and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until tender but not mushy. Drain.
• In a medium bowl, stir together the ricotta cheese, crab, parsley and onion. Spoon into the manicotti shells. Place in a buttered 11x7 inch baking dish.
• In a saucepan, stir together the Alfredo sauce and chicken broth. Season with sugar, basil, marjoram, garlic powder and thyme. Heat until warm over medium heat. Pour over the shells in the baking dish.
• Bake uncovered for 30 minutes in the preheated oven. Let stand for about 5 minutes before serving.

EASY-TO-STUFF MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Cook manicotti according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce. Spread half of the meat sauce into a greased 13x9-in. baking dish., Drain manicotti; stuff each shell with a piece of string cheese. Place over meat sauce; top with remaining sauce. Cover and bake at 350° until heated through, 25-30 minutes. , Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake until the cheese is melted, 5-10 minutes longer.

MANICOTTI WITH ITALIAN SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large saucepot over medium heat. Cook the sausage, breaking it up into small pieces, until browned and caramelized, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the sausage to a paper towel-lined plate and reserve for the filling.
• Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the pot and cook the onion until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute (the tomato paste will turn a deep maroon color). Add the crushed tomatoes, sugar, bay leaves, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and a pinch of black pepper. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low and cook for 30 minutes. Melt the butter into the sauce, remove the bay leaves and stir in 1/3 cup of basil. Remove the sauce from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature, 40 minutes.
• For the filling: mix together the ricotta, reserved sausage, the remaining 1/3 cup basil, 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, 1 1/2 cups Parmesan, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Fold in 1 cup of the cooled tomato sauce. Place the filling in a large piping bag and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the manicotti shells until they have softened slightly but still hold their tubular shape, 5 minutes.
• Pour half of the tomato sauce into a broiler-proof 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Fill each shell with the ricotta mixture. Place the filled shells in the baking dish. Pipe any extra filling along the ends of the shells in the dish. Top with the remaining tomato sauce and sprinkle the remaining 1 1/2 cups mozzarella and 1 cup Parmesan over the top. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake until the sauce begins to bubble, 40 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven, remove the foil and increase the oven to 425 degrees F. Put the manicotti back into the oven to bake until the cheese is browned and bubbling, about 10 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

MANICOTTI RECIPE

Steps:

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

SPINACH RICOTTA STUFFED MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 F°.
• In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, spinach, onion, egg, garlic, Italian seasoning, nutmeg, salt, pepper, 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese.
• Spread about 1 cup of the marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9x13-inch casserole dish.
• Transfer the filling to a piping bag or plastic ziploc bag, cut off a little from one end, this will make it easier for stuffing the shells.
• Stuff each manicotti shell with ricotta mixture and arrange in a single layer in the dish. Cover with remaining sauce. There should be enough sauce to fully cover the manicotti.
• Top with remaining 1 cup of mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese.
• Transfer the dish to the preheated oven and bake for 1 hour covered, then 15-20 minutes uncovered, or until the noodles are soft.
• Serve garnished with basil if preferred and more grated Parmesan cheese.

CHEESE STUFFED MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F
• Bring 5 quarts of water to a rapid boil. For best results, add 1 tablespoons of salt.
• Add pasta and stir; return to rapid boil.
• Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 6 minutes.
• Remove noodles from boiling water and place them in a bowl of cold water. Tubes will be firm; making them easy to fill but will finish cooking and become soft and tender while cooking in the oven.
• In a large bowl stir together ricotta cheese, 1-1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, eggs, parsley and seasonings.
• Pour enough spaghetti sauce in the bottom of a 13x9-inch pan to just cover the bottom of the pan.
• Spoon about 1/3 cup cheese mixture into each pasta tube; place in the pre-sauced pan.
• Pour the remainder of sauce over filled pasta; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
• Cover with foil; bake 35 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
• Remove from the oven and serve.

BEEF STUFFED MANICOTTI WITH BASIL TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the water, tomato paste, onion, 2 tablespoons parsley, basil, garlic, 1-1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. , Preheat oven to 350°. Combine the ricotta cheese, 3/4 cup Romano cheese, eggs and remaining parsley, salt and pepper. Stuff into manicotti shells. , Pour half of the meat sauce into a greased 11x7-in. baking dish. Arrange shells over sauce. Top with sauce; sprinkle with remaining Romano cheese. Bake, uncovered, until heated through, 30-35 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.

STUFFED MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat Oven 350*F.
• Lightly coat a 9x13 baking dish w/ cooking spray.
• Cook MANICOTTI according to package directions, less 1-2 minutes - MANICOTTI should be al dente - drain and rinse with cold water until cool. Remove to paper towels to dry. Shells are easier to stuff if cool.
• *Prepare BECHAMEL Sauce*.
• In a Med saucepan, melt the BUTTER over medium heat. Add the FLOUR and whisk until smooth (2 mins).
• Gradually add the MILK, whisking constantly until the sauce thickens (5-10 mins). DO NOT BOIL Sauce.
• Remove sauce from heat and stir in the SALT, PEPPER & NUTMEG. (Sauce can be prepared & refrigerated for up to 3 days; excellent cream sauce for any pasta dish.).
• In a large bowl mix together RICOTTA, 3/4 cup PARMESAN, Egg YOLKS, BASIL, SALT & PEPPER and any OPTIONAL Ingredient.
• Stuff the MANICOTTI (I use either a baby spoon or a small butter knife, stuff from both ends, don't over stuff, should have enough for at least 10-11 shells).
• Reserve 1/4-1/3 Cup of the BECHAMEL Sauce, then layer the remaining BECHAMEL Sauce in the bottom of the baking dish, swirl 1/4-1/3 Cup tomato sauce into the BECHAMEL.
• Lay the stuffed MANICOTTI side-by-side in dish on top of the sauce.
• Top the MANICOTTI with the remaining tomato sauce, covering the pasta completely; swirl the reserved BECHAMEL Sauce on top.
• Lightly cover with foil and Bake for 30 minutes; remove foil and bake for another 15 minutes.
• Sprinkle with 1/4 Cup PARMESAN and bake for another 5-15 mins, until bubbly in the center and cheese is melted.
• Let sit for 5-10 mins before serving.

MANICOTTI (THREE CHEESE, NO-BOIL PASTA RECIPE)

Steps:

• Place the steamed escarole, endive or spinach into a large bowl, then add the ricotta.
• Add the eggs, grated Parmesan or Pecorino, salt, and pepper and mix well.
• Next, toss in the shredded mozzarella. Mix well.
• You'll already have the tomato sauce from my linked recipe, but here's the trick to not boiling the pasta, adding water to the sauce. I say to use boiling water because I don't want you using hot water from the tap; it needs to be very hot. Put half of the sauce in a bowl (if it's about 1 cup of sauce, add just under 1 cup of very hot/almost boiling water. You can make this watery sauce as you need it so you don't end up watering down too much of the sauce.
• Spread a generous amount of the watery sauce in the bottom of the pan, then start filling the tubes with the filling. As I said above, you can choose to use a piping bag without a tip, but it's really easy to use a small spoon, too. Use both ends to fill the manicotti shells as it's quicker than trying to push the filling all the way to the opposite end.
• Once full, place in the pan. Be sure to place them generously spaced apart as they will grow and spread.
• Once all the manicotti are filled (you may need another small tray if all of the manicotti don't fit (don't attempt to squeeze them in). I put 4 in a separate little dish. Make sure to cover all of the manicotti.
• Add enough watery sauce so that it comes about halfway up the pasta shells. We need this much liquid since the pasta hasn't been boiled (and absorbed the water when cooking). Let the shells rest for about half an hour before baking.
• Cover and bake for about 30 to 35 minutes, until the pasta is ready. You can remove the cover for the last 5 minutes if you like.
• Before serving, add some heated pasta sauce (the original batch, not watered down) to the manicotti. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese and add a sprig of parsley for color, and enjoy!

SAUSAGE MANICOTTI

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine sausage and cottage cheese. Stuff into uncooked manicotti shells. Place in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Top with marinara sauce. , Cover and bake at 350° for 55-60 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into the center of a shell reads 160°., Uncover; sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake 8-10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Freeze option: Transfer individual portions of cooled manicotti to freezer containers; freeze. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Transfer to a microwave-safe dish and microwave on high, stirring occasionally; add a little spaghetti sauce if necessary.

CHEESE STUFFED MANICOTTI IN MEAT SAUCE

Steps:

• Preaheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil; add salt if desired. Place noodles in water and boil for 9 minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water to prevent sticking.
• While noodles are boiling, brown meat in a large skillet. Drain and add spaghetti sauce; set simmer for 5 minutes, then turn off heat.
• In a bowl, combine eggs, 1 cup mozzarella, half of the ricotta, parmesan and seasonings.
• Pour a layer of meat sauce in the bottom of a baking dish, using half of what you have.
• Using a spoon or piping bag, fill the noodles with the cheese mixture and place on top of sauce. Spread remaining ricotta on top and layer with remaining sauce and mozzarella. Bake, covered, for 40 minutes.

SAUSAGE CHEESE MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Cook manicotti according to package directions. Meanwhile, crumble sausage into a nonstick skillet; add the red pepper and onion. Cook over medium heat until meat is no longer pink and vegetables are tender; drain. Drain manicotti; set aside., In a bowl, combine the sausage mixture, egg whites, cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, parsley, basil, fennel and pepper. Stuff into manicotti shells. Combine spaghetti sauce and water; spread 1/2 cup in an ungreased 13x9-in. baking dish. Arrange shells over sauce; top with remaining sauce., Cover and bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese. Bake 10-15 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

ITALIAN SAUSAGE MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Cook and crumble Italian sausage in a large nonstick pan. Once you have it broken apart, add the onion. Cook until the sausage is no longer pink.
• Add garlic, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper flakes and cook 1 minute.
• Turn heat to low and add cream cheese. Stir until melted. Remove from heat.
• Let cool slightly and then stir in 3/4 cup of mozzarella cheese, ricotta cheese, and pepper.
• Stuff the mixture into the manicotti shells. You can either use a spoon or fork to push it in or you can transfer the mixture ot a large ziptop bag and snip the corner and pipe it in.
• Pour about 1/2 cup of sauce in the prepared baking dish and spread it evenly. Place the filled manicotti tubes on top of the sauce.Pour remaining sauce on top of manicotti.
• Cover and bake for 25 minutes.
• Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered for 10 more minutes.

EASY STUFFED MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add manicotti and boil for the 7-8 minutes, until almost tender*.
• Drain and rinse manicotti 2-3 times under cold water until cooled to room temperature.
• In a medium bowl, stir together ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, 1/4 cup Parmesan, egg, pesto, salt, and pepper.
• Place ricotta mixture in a large piping bag or large freezer bag and snip the end.
• Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish and spread 1 cup of marinara sauce in the bottom.
• Fill each manicotti shell with ricotta cheese mixture and line up on top of the marinara sauce in the baking dish, dividing the ricotta evenly between the 12 manicotti.
• Top the filled manicotti with the remaining 1 1/2 cups sauce, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, and 1/4 cup Parmesan.
• Lightly grease a piece of foil or lid and cover the baking dish. Bake at 375°F for 25-30 minutes until heated through and pasta is tender. Serve.

MANICOTTI WITH MARINARA SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and set a large pot of water on the stovetop to boil.
• In a bowl, combine the ricotta, egg, Parmesan, parsley, and salt and pepper. Set this filling aside.
• Cook the manicotti in boiling water for minute. After they've cooked for one minute, remove the pot from the heat but do not drain the manicotti squares in a colander as the noodles often stick together. Instead, run cold water into the pot until you can fish the manicotti squares out safely with your fingers. Shake off the excess water as you remove each square. It is usually best to place the squares on a clean cloth to further blot them.
• Lay the squares flat on a cloth, placing the filling across the center of the dough, leaving a little room at the edges on each side. Turn up the edge nearest you so that it lies on top of the filling. Now turn the edge farthest from you towards you so that it lies on top of the first edge. You now have a cannoli-like tube. Spread 1 ladleful of the sauce onto the bottom of a 9 by 12-inch baking pan. Turn the manicotti over and place seam-side down in the baking pan on top of the sauce. Continue until the pan has a layer of manicotti. Spoon 2 more ladlefuls of sauce over the top and bake for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit 10 minutes before serving. Serve with additional sauce for individual servings.
• Everyone has his own variation of marinara sauce. Borgatti's is basic and can be used throughout this book whenever marinara is called for. The seasonings and herbs can be adjusted, to taste.
• In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, heat the oil. Saute the garlic, salt, and pepper for 5 minutes or until the garlic is softened. Add the remaining ingredients, then raise the heat to medium-high, and bring to a simmer, stirring often. Simmer for 30 minutes. The sauce can be stored for up to 5 days in the refrigerator and several months in the freezer.

STUFFED MANICOTTI WITH FRESH MARINARA SAUCE

Steps:

• Make the crepes (crespelle):
• In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk and melted butter. Gradually whisk in the flour and salt until the mixture is smooth. Refrigerate for 1 hour until slightly thickened.
• Spray an 8-inch nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Place the pan over medium heat. With a small ladle, pour about 3 tablespoons of the batter into the pan. Turn the pan at a 45 degree angle to coat the pan evenly so the batter forms a perfect circle. Cook the crepe only until lightly browned, about 30 seconds. Turn the crepe over with a spatula and cook the other side only until lightly browned, about 30 seconds. Slide the crepe onto a 12-inch platter and continue the process with the remaining batter. Stack the crepes between waxed paper so they don't stick. You can prepare these crepes a day in advance covered in plastic wrap in the refrigerator. No need to reheat the crepes before filling and baking.
• Make the ricotta filling:
• In a large bowl, add all the ingredients for the ricotta filling. With a large wooden spoon or spatula, stir all the ingredients until well blended. Store covered in plastic wrap in the refrigerator until ready to use. You can make this filling the day before.
• Make the marinara sauce:
• In a large heavy nonreactive saucepan with a lid, heat the olive oil on medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic and cook until fragrant but NOT browned. Add the crushed tomatoes to the pan and crush further with a potato masher. Simmer 30 minutes, slightly covered, on medium-low heat, stirring every so often.
• Add the parsley, basil leaves and salt and pepper, to taste, and simmer for another 10 minutes until the sauce is slightly reduced. Taste and re-season as necessary.
• Put it all together:
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Coat the bottom of a 13 by 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish with 1 cup of the prepared marinara sauce.
• Spoon 3 tablespoons of the prepared ricotta filling 1 inch from the edge of a crepe. Roll evenly into a log, keeping the filling even as you roll. Repeat with the remaining crepes. Place manicotti seam side down and side by side in the sauced baking pan.
• Spoon 1 to 2 cups of sauce over the top of the manicotti. Sprinkle with the grated Parmesan.
• Cover the baking dish loosely with foil and bake about 20 minutes. Uncover and bake another 20 minutes until the topping is golden brown and sides are bubbling. Let rest about 15 minutes before serving to firm up the manicotti filling.

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 350ºF.
• 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.

SAUCY STUFFED MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Cook manicotti to desired doneness.
• In large skillet brown sausage, onion and mushrooms. Drain on paper towel.
• In large bowl, combine sausage mixture, egg yolks, turkey, spinach, mozzarella and 1/2 cup parmesan cheese; mix well.
• Pour half of spaghetti sauce into ungreased 13x9 baking dish.
• Fill manicotti with sausage mixture. Place over sauce in baking dish.
• Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour cook until smooth and bubbly.
• Gradually stir in whipping cream, cook until slightly thickened, stirring constantly.
• Stir in parmesan cheese, garlic powder and nutmeg, blend well.
• Pour white sauce over manicotti.
• Pour remaining spaghetti sauce over top.
• Bake at 350°F for 35-40 minutes.