Spinach Ricotta Stuffed Manicotti Food

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.

PORK, SPINACH, AND RICOTTA MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Filling: Coat a large saute pan with olive oil, add the onions and put the pan over medium heat. Season the onions with salt, to taste, and add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes. Saute until the onions are translucent and very aromatic, about 7 to 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and saute for 3 to 4 more minutes. Add the pork sausage and cook until nicely browned. Stir in the spinach, season with salt, to taste, and saute until the spinach is wilted, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool. In a large bowl, add the ricotta, 1 cup of grated Parmigiano, the eggs and 1 cup of bechamel and stir to incorporate. Mix in the cooled sausage mixture into the ricotta mixture. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed. To assemble the manicotti: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare the baking dish by evenly schmearing 1 cup of bechamel sauce in the bottom of a 9 by 13-inch baking dish. Put 2 heaping tablespoons of the filling on a crepe just below the halfway mark. Form the filling into an even log and then roll up the crepe to enclose the filling. Repeat with the remaining filling and crepes. Arrange the crepes in the baking dish, snuggling the crepes together until the dish is filled. Spoon the tomato sauce over the top of the crepes and spread the bechamel in a wide swath down the middle. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of Parmigiano and cover with foil. Bake in the preheated oven until heated through, about 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the top starts to brown a little, about 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve topped with a little extra cheese. Mamma mia! ;
• Add the butter and onion to a large saucepan over medium heat. Season the onions with salt, to taste, and cook until they become translucent and very aromatic. Add the flour and cook until the flour and butter resemble wet sand, about 3 to 4 minutes. Gradually, whisk in the milk until incorporated. Add the bay leaf and nutmeg and season with salt, to taste. Slowly bring the milk/flour mixture to a boil, stirring frequently to prevent scorching on the bottom. Be sure that the milk comes to a boil or the flour will not cook out and you will be left with a very objectionable starchy feeling on your tongue. Once the sauce has come to a boil and has thickened, remove it from the heat. Discard the bay leaf. Stir in the grated Parmigiano, taste and adjust seasoning, if needed. Use right away or refrigerate, covered, until ready to assemble dish. Creamy! ;
• Coat a large sauce pot with olive oil and add the pancetta. Put the pot over medium-high heat and cook the pancetta for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the onions, season generously with salt, to taste, and stir to coat with the olive oil. Cook the onions for 6 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently. The onions should become very soft and aromatic but have no color. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Pass the tomatoes through the food mill. Be sure to pass all of the pulp through the holes leaving only the stems and the seeds, and be sure to scrape the pulp off of the bottom of the food mill. That's all of the big money stuff! Add the tomatoes to the sauce pot and 1 can of water (about 2 to 3 cups). Season generously with salt and TASTE IT!!!! Tomatoes take a lot of salt. Season in baby steps and taste every step of the way. Cook the sauce for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally and tasting frequently. Use the sauce right away on pasta or for any other tomato sauce need. This sauce can also be cooled and stored in the refrigerator for a few days or it can be frozen. ;
• Batter: In a mixing bowl, add the flour and salt and make a well in the center. Add the eggs, milk, club soda and 3 tablespoons of melted butter into the center of the well and whisk together until just combined. The mixture should be like VERY loose pancake batter. If the mixture is a little thick, whisk in a little more milk. Let the batter sit for at least 30 minutes before using. Crepes: Melt about a 1/2 teaspoon of butter in a small nonstick saute pan. The butter should coat the bottom of the pan, if there is a lot of excess, wipe it out with a paper towel. Keep the paper towel handy in case you need it again (you will). Put the pan over medium heat. Fill a 2-ounce ladle, almost to the top, with batter and pour it into the preheated pan, tipping and rolling the pan, as you ladle the batter, to evenly cover the bottom. This will take a little practice, even when you are an experienced crepe maker the first couple always get wasted. Accept it and move on. When the edges of the crepe begin to pull away from the edges of the pan and the bottom begins to brown a little, turn the crepe over and cook it for about 1 minute on the other side. Remove the crepe from the pan to a plate and let cool. Stack the crepes as they are cooked between parchment paper squares. Repeat this process, until all the batter is used, wiping the pan with your paper towel or melting a little more butter to the pan, as needed. YAY! ;

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.

ITALIAN SAUSAGE, SPINACH, AND RICOTTA CANNELLONI

Steps:

• In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and saute the onion until fragrant and translucent. Add the Italian sausage meat, breaking it up with the back of a wooden spoon and brown it until no longer pink, about 10 to 12 minutes. Drain the excess fat from the sausage meat, and set aside to cool. In a large mixing bowl stir together the drained and squeeze-dried spinach, ricotta, 1 1/2 cups Parmesan, eggs, cooled Italian sausage and onion mixture, salt, and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Place the oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the fresh pasta rectangles for 1 minute and remove with a slotted spatula. Set aside. In a 9 by 13-inch baking dish, spread 2 cups tomato sauce. Working with 1 pasta rectangle at a time, spread 6 tablespoons filling along one edge and roll the pasta sheet up tightly, leaving the ends open. Repeat until you have 8 cannelloni. Arrange the prepared cannelloni, seam-side down, in a single layer in the baking dish. Spoon the remaining 2 cups tomato sauce evenly over the cannelloni. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup grated Parmesan over top. Bake the cannelloni for 20 minutes and let it stand for 10 minutes before serving. Serve the cannelloni with extra tomato sauce from the baking dish and garnish with fresh basil.
• To make fresh pasta dough: Mound the flour on a clean work surface. Hollow out the center making a well in the middle of the flour with steep sides. Break the eggs into the well. Add the salt, and olive oil to the hollow center and gently mix together with a fork. Gradually start incorporating the flour by pulling in the flour from the sides of the well. As you incorporate more of the flour, the dough will start to take shape. With your hands or a bench scraper continue working the dough until it comes together. If the dough is too dry, add a little water; if too wet or sticky, add a little flour. Begin kneading the dough and keep kneading until it becomes smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes. At this point, set the dough aside, cover it with plastic, and let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes. You can store the dough in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours, but allow it to return to room temperature before rolling it out. Divide the pasta dough into 4 even sections. Keep each section covered with plastic wrap or a clean towel while you work with each one. Flour the dough, the rollers of a pasta roller (or your rolling pin), your hands, and the work surface. If using a pasta machine: Flatten 1 of the of the dough pieces between your hands or with a floured rolling pin until it forms a thick oval disk. Dust the disk, the roller, and your hands with additional flour. Flour a baking sheet to hold the rolled out finished pasta. With the roller on the widest setting, pass the pasta through the machine's rollers a few times until it is smooth. Fold the dough over into 1/3, and continue to pass through a few more times until the pasta is smooth again. Begin adjusting the pasta machine settings to become thinner, passing the dough through a few times at each setting. If rolling the pasta by hand: Flatten a dough piece into a thick oval disk with your hands. Flour a baking sheet for the rolled out finished pasta. Place the oval dough disk on a floured work surface, and sprinkle with additional flour. Begin rolling out the dough with a floured rolling pin working from the center of the dough outwards, constantly moving the dough and lifting it to make sure it's not sticking.
• To make Simple Tomato Sauce: In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, and garlic and cook until soft and golden brown. Add the basil and cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes with their juices and bring to a boil, stirring often. Lower the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the sauce has thickened. With a potato masher, break up the tomatoes to achieve a sauce-like consistency. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and serve. Cook's Note: Tomato sauce will last 1 week in the refrigerator and up to 6 months in the freezer.

SPINACH AND PORCINI STUFFED MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a heatproof bowl soak the porcini in the water for 15 minutes. Drain the porcini, reserving the liquid, pat dry and chop fine. Strain reserved soaking liquid through a double thickness of dampened cheesecloth into a bowl.
• In a skillet set over moderate heat cook the onion in the butter, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
• Add the spinach, garlic and mushrooms and cook, stirring, 3 to 4 minutes, or until heated through. Transfer mixture to a bowl, add remaining ingredients (using only 1/2 cup of locatelli) and gently stir to combine well.
• Cook the manicotti in boiling salted water until just al dente. With a slotted spoon transfer to a bowl of cold water, drain and pat dry. Gently stuff shells with filling and arrange in a buttered baking dish.
• Make the sauce: In a saucepan set over moderately low heat melt the butter, add the flour and cook the mixture, whisking, for 2 minutes. Add the milk and reserved mushroom liquid and bring to a simmer, whisking. Add nutmeg, salt and pepper and simmer, whisking occasionally, for 5 minutes.
• Spoon the sauce over the manicotti, sprinkle with the remaining locatelli and bake, covered with foil for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for 10-15 minutes longer. Let rest 5 minutes. Sprinkle with snipped fresh chives.

SPINACH CHEESE MANICOTTI

Steps:

• In a small skillet, saute onion in oil for 3 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Set aside. , In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, cream cheese, 4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning and pepper; beat until smooth. Stir in onion mixture and spinach. Stuff into the manicotti shells., Pour half of the spaghetti sauce into a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Arrange shells over sauce; top with remaining sauce., Cover and bake at 350° for 25 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

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.

SPINACH BEEF CANNELLONI (MANICOTTI)

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large saucepan or pot over medium high heat. Add garlic and onion, cook 2 minutes. Add carrot and celery, cook 5 minutes.
• Add remaining Sauce ingredients then stir. Bring to simmer, lower heat to medium, cover with lid and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Use a stick blender to blitz until smooth (or cool slightly and use blender or food processor). Set aside.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add onion and garlic, cook 2 minutes.
• Add beef and cook, breaking it up as you go, until it all changes from red to brown.
• Stir in spinach, then add crumbled beef cube, Worcestershire sauce, pepper and 1 cup of Cannelloni Sauce. Stir, cook 2 minutes.
• Remove and cool slightly.
• Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F.
• Transfer Beef Filling into a piping bag with a wide nozzle. Stand cannelloni tubes upright in a container, then pipe filling in. (Or do this step with teaspoon/finger/dinner knife!).
• Spread about 1 1/4 cups Sauce in a 23x33cm / 9x13" dish. Lay the cannelloni on top, then pour over remaining Sauce.
• Sprinkle with cheese, loosely cover with foil.
• Bake 25 minutes, remove foil then bake a further 10 minutes until the cheese is bubbly with some golden spots.
• Remove from oven, sprinkle with parsley if using then serve!

CHICKEN & SPINACH MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Combine all ingredients (top 12 items) in large mixing bowl. Cook manicotti "per package directions" (I actually cook the manicotti for about a minute to a minute and a half LESS than what is directed for a firmer noodle - easier to stuff!). Drain and rinse pasta with cool water.
• Spray 2 - 13 x 9 casseroles w/cooking spray and place well-stuffed manicotti in casseroles.
• Coat manicotti with Alfredo sauce.
• Garnish with additional Parmesan and red pepper flakes if desired.
• Cover casseroles with foil and bake at 400 oF for 30 minutes.

SPINACH & GROUND MEAT MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Brown ground meat in skillet and drain.
• Combine spinach, ground meat, ricotta cheese, egg, parmesan cheese and garlic powder.
• Spoon this mixture into manicotti shells and place in 13 x 9 inch dish (sprayed with Pam).
• Pour Emeril's sauce over the stuffed manicotti shells and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.
• Bake uncovered in preheated 350 oven for 30 minute or until heated through.

SPINACH MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. Cook manicotti as directed on box. Rinse with cool water; drain well.
• In medium bowl, stir together 1 1/2 cups of the Italian cheese blend, the red pepper, ricotta cheese, spinach, garlic and egg.
• In bottom of ungreased 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish, spread 1 cup of the pasta sauce. Spoon ricotta mixture into manicotti; place over sauce in dish. Pour remaining sauce over manicotti.
• Cover tightly with foil; bake about 30 minutes or until sauce is bubbling. Uncover dish; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Italian cheese blend. Bake uncovered 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

CHEESY BEEF AND SPINACH MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Grease two 9-inch baking pans.
• In a large skillet over medium-high heat stirring with wooden spoon cook the ground beef or bulk sausage meat with the onion until browned breaking up the meat while cooking (about 10-12 minutes the meat should be lightly browned) drain fat.
• Add in garlic and cook, stirring for 2 minutes.
• Transfer to a bowl then mix in the drained spinach, Parmesan cheese and ricotta cheese; set aside to cool (about 10-15 minutes).
• When the ground beef is cool add in mozzarella cheese, eggs, seasoned salt and black pepper mix well to combine, at this point you may season with more salt and pepper if desired and if you want more garlic flavor add in some garlic powder to the mixture.
• Spread about 1/4 to 1/3 cup marinara sauce onto the bottom of each baking pan.
• Carefully stuff each noodle with the beef mixture then place in one layer in the baking dish (you should have 7 in each dish).
• FOR ONE PAN; drizzle about 1-1/2 cups (or more) marinara sauce over shells, sprinkle about 3/4 cup or more of mozzarella cheese over sauce, then sprinkle with 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese on top; repeat with remaining pan.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (oven rack to to lowest position).
• Cover each pan with foil and bake 25 minutes, uncover and continue baking for another 8 minutes (allow to sit for about 15 minutes before serving).

SPINACH MANICOTTI

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, 1-1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, spinach, sour cream, bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, garlic powder and onion powder. , Combine the tomato juice, salsa and crushed tomatoes; spread 1 cup sauce in an ungreased 13x9-in. baking dish. Stuff uncooked manicotti with spinach mixture; arrange over sauce. Pour remaining sauce over manicotti., Cover and bake at 350° for 55 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake 15 minutes longer or until noodles are tender.

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.

STUFFED MANICOTTI WITH SAUSAGE AND SPINACH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F. Lightly grease a 13x9-inch baking pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.
• Put a large pot of water on the stove top and heat on medium-low while preparing the sauce.

SPINACH MANICOTTI WITH LEMON

Steps:

• Place the ricotta in a fine mesh strainer set over a bowl. Loosely cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the ricotta for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Position a rack in the center of the oven.
• Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the lasagna sheets and stir with a large slotted spoon to ensure that the pasta does not stick as it cooks. Cook until still quite firm, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain the pasta and transfer to a large bowl (you'll use the empty pot later). Gently toss with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil to coat. (This is more pasta than you will need, but the extra noodles are backups for any that might break.)
• In a large saute pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. When the oil begins to smoke lightly, add the spinach, then sprinkle with salt and cook, stirring, just long enough to wilt, 30 to 45 seconds. Quickly remove the pan from the heat and transfer the spinach to a kitchen towel-lined plate to drain and cool.
• Return the medium pot to medium heat, then add the cream and garlic and bring to a gentle simmer, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the Worcestershire, hot sauce and 1/2 cup pecorino. Spoon enough of the sauce to lightly coat the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and set aside.
• In a large bowl, spread the ricotta out on the bottom and up the sides of the bowl (so the seasoning coats most of the cheese). Add the egg and sprinkle with salt. Mix to combine. Add pepper, the lemon zest, lemon juice, tarragon and the remaining 1/2 cup pecorino. Mix to combine. Add the sauteed spinach, reserving some for garnish. Add the allspice and combine thoroughly.
• Arrange the lasagna sheets on a clean, flat surface with the longer sides of the rectangles facing you. Place about 3 tablespoons ricotta on the edge of the sheet closest to you, leaving a little room on either end. Gently roll the pasta up into a tube away from you and place inside the prepared baking dish, seam-side down. Repeat with the remaining pasta and filling, taking care that the manicotti are snug in the baking dish.
• Cover the manicotti with about three-quarters of the sauce. (Keep the remaining sauce warm.) Place the baking dish on the center rack of the oven and bake until lightly browned and the filling is hot in the center when pierced with the tip of a knife, 15 to 20 minutes. Warm the remaining sauce and spoon it over the manicotti. Sprinkle the top with the reserved spinach and freshly grated Pecorino-Romano. Serve warm.

SPINACH CHEESE MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a large bowl, combine ricotta, spinach, onion and egg. Season with parsley, pepper and garlic powder. Mix in 1 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmesan. In a separate bowl, stir together spaghetti sauce and water.
• Spread 1 cup sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Stuff uncooked manicotti shells with ricotta mixture, and arrange in a single layer in the dish. Cover with remaining sauce. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.
• Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 55 minutes, or until noodles are soft.

SPINACH & CHEESE STUFFED MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350* F.
• Combine sauce and sausage in the same skillet sausage was cooked, keep warm.
• In a large bowl, mix spinach, cheeses, eggs, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir together until well blended.
• Place about 2 cups sauce in a 9X13 inch casserole dish. Spread it around to cover the bottom.
• Now, to fill the manicotti. You can do this however you wish. You can use a pastry bag, or a zip-lock bag with a corner cut, or a spoon. I chose to use an old baby spoon (from when my daughter was a baby, the kind with the rubber temperature controlled end). I had fantastic results doing it that way. I highly recommend doing it that way. You may have to fill half, turn manicotti around and fill from the other end, as I did. Try to get as much filling in as possible, letting it over flow from the ends. Place the filled shell into the sauce-lined dish. Repeat with the remaining manicotti shells, and fill the dish with the stuffed shells, until you either run out of room, or shells or filling. I ran out of room first, I got twelve into my casserole dish. (I did have left over filling, which I froze.) You could also use two separate smaller dishes, and freeze one for another meal.
• Cover pasta with sauce, you don't have to use it all, just make sure all the exposed manicotti are covered in sauce, about 2 ½ cups. Place sliced mozzarella on top of sauce and sprinkle remaining ½ cup shredded cheese mix over the mozzarella. At this point, you can cover with foil and refrigerate until you're ready to bake, or you can cover with foil and place it in the oven immediately.
• Bake, covered with foil, 50 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 10 minutes.
• Let rest 10 minutes before serving.
• Tips:.
• It's perfectly fine if you want to use full fat versions of the cheeses, we just prefer the low fat and fat free versions.
• It's perfectly fine to leave the spinach out and turn this into just a cheese manicotti.