Seafood Stuffed Manicotti

CRAB-STUFFED MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Cook manicotti shells according to package directions; drain. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour until smooth; gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until thickened, 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in Parmesan cheese., In a small bowl, combine crab, ricotta, mozzarella, lemon-pepper seasoning, pepper and garlic powder. Stuff shells with crab mixture. Spread 1/4 cup sauce in an 8-in. square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top with stuffed manicotti. Pour remaining sauce over top. , Bake, covered, until heated through, 25-30 minutes. Just before serving, sprinkle with parsley and, if desired, additional grated Parmesan cheese.

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.

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.

CRAB AND RICOTTA CANNELLONI

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta.
• In a large bowl, mix together ricotta, 3/4 cup Parmesan, egg yolk, basil, crab, salt, and pepper.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Fill the cannelloni with the crab mixture and place in a buttered baking dish. Top the filled cannelloni with the Bechamel Sauce and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese. Bake until bubbly and the top is golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Serve immediately.
• In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until smooth, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the warm milk, whisking constantly, until the sauce is thick, smooth, and creamy, about 10 minutes (do not allow the sauce to boil). Remove from the heat and stir in the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. (The sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead. Cool and then cover and refrigerate.)
• Yield: about 4 cups

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.

CRAB AND SPINACH STUFFED MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F.
• Cook pasta as directed on package, omitting salt.
• Meanwhile, melt 1 Tbsp. butter in large nonstick skillet on medium heat. Add onions; cook 5 to 6 min. or until crisp-tender, stirring frequently. Add spinach and garlic; cook and stir 1 to 2 min. or just until spinach is wilted. Spoon spinach mixture into medium bowl.
• Melt remaining butter in same skillet. Stir in flour; cook 2 min., stirring constantly. Gradually add milk, whisking constantly after each addition. Bring to boil, whisking constantly; cook and stir 5 min. or until thickened. Remove skillet from heat. Add nutmeg, pepper and 1/2 cup Parmesan to white sauce; mix well.
• Add ricotta to spinach mixture along with 1 cup of the cheese sauce and 1/2 cup of the remaining Parmesan; mix lightly. Stir in crabmeat. Spoon into resealable plastic bag.
• Drain pasta; rinse with cold water. Cut small piece off one bottom corner of filled plastic bag; use to squeeze enough crab mixture into both sides of pasta shells until shells are evenly filled with crab mixture. Place in 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray; top with remaining cheese sauce, then remaining Parmesan.
• Bake 30 to 35 min. or until heated through.

ULTIMATE CRAB AND SPINACH MANICOTTI WITH PARMESAN CHEESE SAUCE

Steps:

• To make the sauce: in a saucepan over medium heat melt butter.
• Add in flour and whisk for about 3 minutes.
• Add in milk and half and half whisk over heat until bubbly and thickened.
• Add in the Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and Tabasco to taste; stir until the cheese melts.
• Set oven to 375 degrees.
• Butter a 13 x 9-inch baking dish.
• In a bowl mix together crab, well drained spinach, ricotta, and Parmesan cheese, onions, egg, salt and pepper; mix well to combine.
• Fill each cooked shell with crab/cheese filling using clean hands.
• Place in a single layer in prepared baking dish.
• Cover with the Parmesan cheese sauce (does not have to cover completely!).
• Sprinkle with grated mozzeralla cheese (any amount desired).
• Bake uncovered for about 25-30 minutes (do not over bake!).