Auntie Annas Manicotti Recipe 435

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a medium bowl combine the ricotta, 1 cup of the grated cheese, eggs, and pepper.
• Fill each crepe with approximately 1/4 cup of the cheese mixture centering it in a straight line down the middle. Top with the shredded mozzarella. Take one end of the crepe and fold over the cheese filling. Then take the other end and pulling slightly, fold over in a wrapping motion overlapping the stuffed portion of the crepe. Repeat until all 12 crepes are filled.
• Spread one cup of the sauce in the bottom of a large baking pan that has been sprayed with a non-stick cooking spray. Place the filled manicotti in the pan, seam down, side-by-side. Do not overlap, and do not layer them. Spoon the remaining sauce over the manicotti. Be sure to cover all the pasta. Sprinkle with the remaining grated cheese. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees F for approximately 30 minutes or until the sauce is hot and bubbling.
• Remove from the oven and let stand for approximately 10 to 15 minutes before serving. This will give the manicotti time to settle which will make for easy serving. The manicotti will fall apart if served immediately.
• In a pan heat the olive oil. Add onions and cook until translucent. Add garlic and cook for a few minutes on medium heat. Do not let garlic burn. Add tomatoes, basil, oregano, and pepper. Let tomato mixture cook for approximately 30 minutes.

Steps:

• CREPES In a blender container, blend the water, milk, eggs and butter. Add the flour and salt, blend until smooth and free of lumps. Pour into a bowl and allow the batter to rest for an hour. Heat an 8" non-stick skillet to medium heat. Have waiting melted butter and a pastry brush. Brush a light coat of butter over the surface and when hot, with a ladle, pour in 2-3 tablespoons of batter. Quickly and carefully tilt the pan in a rotating motion until the batter forms a thin, round layer in the pan. Let cook, 30 seconds or more until the bottom is set and starting to color. Lift a set edge with a fork or small offset spatula and flip the crepe over, cooking a bit longer until the bottom side is set (will be a bit shiny in places). Remove to a plate. Lightly grease the pan, and repeat the process, continuing until all of the batter has been used, you should have around 10-12 crepes. FILLING Combine all of the ingredients well in a bowl. SAUCE Heat an 8" skillet over medium. Glaze with olive oil and sauté the sausage, turning and crumbling until no longer pink and beginning to brown. Remove from heat. Meanwhile, heat a 3 qt. sauce pan to medium. Add the olive oil, Add the garlic and the potato, stirring and cooking until fragrant ( do not allow the potato to crisp and brown). Add the pureed tomatoes, the sausage and any accumulated juices from the pan, a pinch of salt and some grindings of pepper. Bring to a low boil and reduce heat to a simmer, cooking until thick and flavorful, 20-30 minutes. Taste and decide whether you would like to add the optional sugar for sweetness. Check for salt. Allow sauce to cool at least 10 minutes. TO ASSEMBLE AND BAKE Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease an 8" x 12 ½" Pyrex or other non-metallic baking dish. Ladle some sauce onto the bottom of the dish, enough to cover. Assemble the manicotti. Select your 10 most beautiful crepes. Shinier side up, (the second side cooked), scoop a thick line (approx. 2 tablespoons), of filling along the center of each crepe, and roll wrapper around filling. Filling should extend to the ends. Line up filled manicotti in the sauce-covered dish. Snuggle them together - 10 will fill the dish perfectly. Pour over the remaining sauce and sprinkle with the parmesan cheese and sprinkle with a little more chopped basil. Bake, uncovered 35-40 minutes until hot and bubbling. Place under a high broiler a couple of minutes to if you desire to further brown the cheese. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

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.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. In medium bowl, mix pasta sauce and water. Spread about 1/3 of the pasta sauce mixture in ungreased 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish.
• Sprinkle garlic salt on chicken. Insert chicken into uncooked manicotti shells, stuffing from each end of shell to fill if necessary. Place shells on pasta sauce in baking dish. Pour remaining pasta sauce evenly over shells, covering completely. Cover with foil.
• Bake about 1 hour or until chicken is no longer pink in center and shells are tender. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake uncovered about 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with basil.