Stuffed Manicotti

Ingredients

• 1 recipe Cheesy Ricotta Filling or Spinach-Pancetta Filling

• 1 recipe Manicotti Meat Sauce or Creamy Parmesan Sauce

• 12 dried manicotti

• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (4 oz.)

1. Cheesy Ricotta Filling

• 1 15 ounce carton whole milk ricotta cheese

• 2 eggs, lightly beaten

• 1 cup shredded mozzarella (4 oz.)

• ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese (2 oz.)

• 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, crushed

2. Manicotti Meat Sauce

• 8 ounce ground beef and/or bulk Italian sausage

• ½ cup chopped onion

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• ¼ cup dry red wine or chicken broth

• 1 15 ounce can crushed tomatoes

• 1 15 ounce can tomato sauce

• 2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, crushed

• 1 teaspoon fennel seed, crushed

• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare desired filling and sauce as directed. Cook manicotti according to package directions; drain. Place manicotti in a single layer on greased foil.

2. Using a small spoon, fill manicotti with desired filling; arrange in a 2-qt. rectangular baking dish. Pour sauce over pasta.

3. Bake, covered, 30 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake, uncovered, 10 minutes more or until mixture is heated through and cheese is melted. (If using Creamy Parmesan Sauce, bake, covered, 35 to 40 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with cheese, then let stand until cheese is melted.)

• Cheesy Ricotta Filling

  In a medium bowl combine one 15-oz. carton whole milk ricotta cheese, 2 eggs, lightly beaten, 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (4 oz.), 1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese (2 oz.), and 1 tsp, dried Italian seasoning, crushed. Using a small spoon, fill each manicotti with about 1/4 cup cheese mixture.

• Manicotti Meat Sauce

  In a large skillet cook 8 oz. ground beef and/or Italian sausage, 1/2 cup onion, and 3 cloves garlic, minced, over medium-high heat until meat is browned, stirring to break up meat as it cooks. Drain fat. Stir in 1/4 cup wine or chicken broth; bring to boiling. Stir in one 15-oz. can crushed tomatoes, one 15-oz. can tomato sauce, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, 1 tsp. fennel seeds, and 1/4 tsp. black pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

• Spinach-Pancetta FIlling

  Prepare Cheesy Ricotta Filling as directed, except thaw and squeeze liquid from half of a 10-oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach. In an 8-inch skillet cook 4 oz. chopped pancetta or bacon over medium heat until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Stir pancetta and spinach into ricotta mixture and reduce mozzarella cheese to 1/2 cup in ricotta mixture.

• Creamy Parmesan Sauce

  Prepare White Sauce as directed (p. xx), except add 3 cloves garlic, minced, to the melted butter; cook and stir 1 minute before adding the flour, salt, and pepper. Stir 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese into finished sauce.

• Stuffed Shells

  Prepare as directed, except mound the filling into 12 to 15 cooked jumbo shell macaroni.