QUICK ITALIAN MANICOTTI

QUICK ITALIAN MANICOTTI image

Yield Serves 6 to 8

Number Of Ingredients 15

8 ounces manicotti shells
Cheese Filling (see below)
1 small jar spaghetti sauce
Grated Parmesan cheese
Cheese Filling:
1 pound ricotta cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped parsley
1/2 pound fresh Mozzarella
cheese, diced
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
6 tablespoons grated Parmesan
cheese
Pinch nutmeg

Steps:

Into 3 quarts of rapidly boiling salted water, carefully place the manicotti shells. Stir gently. After water returns to a rapid boil, continue cooking for 6 minutes. Do not overcook - parboil only. Remove pot from stove and pour off 3/4 of the boiling water. Add sufficient cold tap water to stop further cooking and allow parboiled manicotti shells to be handled for filling. Remove manicotti shells from water one at a time, cut lengthwise down shell, and fill with cheese filling. Select a suitable flat baking dish to hold filled manicotti shells and pour enough spaghetti sauce into the dish to barely cover the bottom. Arrange filled shells side by side in a single layer and pour remaining sauce over them. Cover the dish with aluminum foil, crimping the edges to seal tightly. Bake in a preheated oven at 350o for 20 minutes. Remove foil cover, sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese, and allow to bake an additional 10 minutes with cover removed. Cheese Filling: Combine ricotta, fresh Mozzarella, eggs, grated Parmesan, and chopped parsley. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Mix until well blended.