Best Marilyns Manicotti Recipes

HOMEMADE MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Place flour in a bowl; whisk in milk, eggs and salt until smooth. Heat a lightly greased 8-in. skillet; pour about 2 tablespoons batter into center of skillet. Spread into a 5-in. circle. Cook over medium heat until set; do not brown or turn. Repeat with remaining batter, making 18 crepes. Stack crepes with waxed paper in between; set aside. , For filling, combine cheeses, egg and parsley. Spoon 3-4 tablespoons down the center of each crepe; roll up. Pour half of the spaghetti sauce into an ungreased 13x9-in. baking dish. Place crepes, seam side down, over sauce; pour remaining sauce over top. , Cover and bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 20 minutes longer or until heated through. Sprinkle with Romano cheese if desired.

CHEESE MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a small bowl, mix the first 6 ingredients; stir in 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. In another bowl, mix marinara sauce and water; spread 3/4 cup sauce onto bottom of a 13x9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Fill uncooked manicotti shells with ricotta mixture; arrange over sauce. Top with remaining sauce., Bake, covered, 50 minutes or until pasta is tender. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Bake, uncovered, 10-15 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. If desired, top with additional parsley.

MEATY MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Cook manicotti shells according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook sausage and beef over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain. Remove from the heat. Cool for 10 minutes., Drain shells and rinse in cold water. Stir the mozzarella cheese, cream cheese and salt into meat mixture. Spread 2 cups spaghetti sauce in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. , Stuff each shell with about 1/4 cup meat mixture; arrange over sauce. Pour remaining sauce over top. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. , Cover and bake at 350° for 40 minutes. Uncover; bake 5-10 minutes longer or until bubbly and heated through. Freeze option: Cover and freeze unbaked casserole. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake casserole as directed, increasing time as necessary to heat through and for a thermometer inserted in center to read 165°.

GRANDMA'S KITCHEN OLD-WORLD MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F Spray 13x9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
• Cook pasta according to package directions(be sure to not over cook, they need to be a little chewey for easier stuffing). Carefully remove each shell and rinse with cool water. Let pasta dry on paper towels. Don't get too upset if a couple break, its bound to happen :).
• For the filling, in a large ziplock bag (seriously!), put in 3 cups mozzarella with the ricotta and fresh basil. Seal the bag tightly. Smush the bag around with your hands until the ingredients are thoroughly mixed (it's a nice stress reliever too!).
• Snip off the bottom corner of the ziplock bag (the point is to have the hole a tad smaller than the manicotti opening, where you can just barely slip it into the shell). Use this method to squeeze the cheese mixture into each manicotti.
• See, that wasn't so bad! ;).
• Spoon 2 cups spaghetti sauce into prepared baking dish. Arrange stuffed pasta over sauce. Pour remaining spaghetti sauce over top of pasta. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella.
• Bake manicotti for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with the Parmesan; bake for 10 minutes longer. Serve immediately.

MARILYN'S MANICOTTI

Steps:

• For sauce:
• Chop tomatoes in processor. Heat oil in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until soft (do not brown), about 1 1/2 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, then tomatoes, basil and salt. Simmer until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Set aside.
• For filling:
• Beat ricotta in medium bowl until smooth and creamy. Mix in 1 cup Romano cheese, eggs, prosciutto and minced fresh parsley.
• For Crepes:
• Mix eggs and water in blender. Add flour and blend batter until smooth. Let stand 30 minutes. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before continuing.)
• Heat crepe pan or heavy small skillet over medium-high heat. Brush pan lightly with olive oil. Remove pan from heat. Stir batter and ladle 2 tablespoons into corner of pan, tilting so batter just coats bottom. Return excess batter to bowl. Cook crepe until bottom is set (do not brown), about 5 seconds. Loosen edges with knife. Turn crepe and cook until second side is set (do not brown), about 5 seconds. Repeat with remaining batter, stirring occasionally. (Can be prepared ahead. Layer crepes between sheets of waxed paper and cool completely. Wrap tightly and refrigerate 3 days or freeze 1 month. Bring to room temperature before using.)
• For Assembly:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Spoon 2 1/2 tablespoons filling down center of crepe. Place 1 mozzarella strip atop filling. Fold both sides of crepe over filling. Arrange seam side down in large baking dish. Repeat with remaining filling and crepes. (Can be prepared ahead. Cover crepes and sauce separately and refrigerate 1 day or freeze up to 2 weeks. Bring crepes to room temperature before baking. Rewarm sauce over low heat, stirring occasionally.)
• Stir whole basil leaves into sauce. Pour sauce over crepes. Sprinkle lightly with additional Romano cheese. Cover tightly with foil. Bake until heated through, about 35 minutes.