Grandma Nancys Manicotti Recipes

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.

Steps:

• Dissolve the 3 packets of yeast in 2 cups of warm water. Let the mixture sit for a few minutes.
• Place flour and salt in large deep bowl. Add yeast mixture. The best way to mix this recipe is with your hands. Gradually add water while mixing until it resembles a loose doughy consistency, not too thick and not too watery. You may not have to use all the water. Make sure all the flour is combined. Transfer dough to a larger bowl. Cover with 2 medium size towels and put the bowl in a warm place for 2 hours to rest. After 2 hours, you will see that the dough has tripled in size and is ready for frying.
• Place 2 quarts of oil in deep pot (4 or 6 quart size). Heat oil until very hot. (Grandma did not use a thermometer. She knew the oil was ready by dropping a small amount of dough into the pot).
• You can use a large serving spoon, but we still use our hands, drop golf-ball size piece of dough into hot oil. Fry 1 side for a minute until golden brown. Turn over and fry for another minute. Drain in a large colander (Italians call it the scolapasta).
• Transfer drained zeppoli to large platter and cover loosely with foil to keep warm. When half the dough is used, combine the raisins with the remaining dough. Repeat the frying process until all the dough is used.
• Place the warm zeppolis on large serving platter. Serve with powered sugar.

Steps:

• To make the crepes, in a blender, combine the flour, water, eggs, and salt and blend, scraping down the sides of the bowl, until the batter is smooth. Transfer to a bowl. Heat a 6 to 7-inch skillet over moderately high heat until hot. Brush the skillet with about 1 teaspoon of the olive oil to coat well and heat the oil until hot. Pour 1/4 cup of the batter into the center of the skillet and lift and tilt the pan to coat the bottom with a thin layer. Cook until the batter is set and the underside is golden, about 1 minute more, and invert onto a plate. Make additional crepes with the remaining batter in the same manner. Crepes may be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Freeze for up to 1 month. Defrost in the refrigerator before using.) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a large shallow baking dish.
• To make the filling, in a bowl combine all of the ingredients, except for the sauce.
• To assemble, lay each crepe on a work surface, attractive side down, spoon 3 tablespoons of the filling down the center, and fold in the edges to enclose the filling. Fill the remaining crepes in the same manner. Spoon 1 to 1 1/2 cups of marinara sauce into the flameproof baking dish in an even layer. Arrange the crepes, seam side down, in the dish and spoon on enough of the remaining sauce to coat the crepes. (The dish may be assembled several hours or 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Allow longer baking time if refrigerated.) Bake for 15 minutes, or until the crepes are heated through and their edges are slightly crisp. Sprinkle with additional Parmesan to taste and put the crepes under the broiler, about 3 to 4 inches from the heat, for 2 minutes, or until the top is golden.
• In a deep skillet set over moderate heat, heat the olive oil until hot. Add the garlic and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until they're pale golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the tomatoes, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have reduced and separated from the oil, 15 to 20 minutes. Add the red pepper to taste, if desired and simmer for 2 minutes more.
• Yield: makes 4 to 6 servings

Steps:

• To make crepes: Mix ingredients together and stir until smooth. Drop by spoonfuls or 1/4 cup of mixture onto a hot, lightly greased nonstick 6-inch pan. Crepes should form and become dry almost instantly as you swirl the pan and its contents. Turn crepe over to cook other side quickly. Remove cooked crepe to waxed paper to cool. They can be stacked with waxed paper between each and then placed in the freezer until you're ready to fill them. This makes about 9 crepes that can be filled with more than just ricotta. Use for cannelloni, blintzes, etc.
• To make ricotta filling: Whip all of the ricotta filling ingredients together. Place a spoonful of filling in the center of each crepe, then roll up, and tuck in the ends. Spread a little sauce on the bottom of a baking pan to evenly coat the pan. Then, arrange manicotti in pan loosely and cover with sauce. Bake at 425 degrees F, when the sauce bubbles, serve.
• Prepare the meats: In a large skillet, brown all the meats in the olive oil. There is no need to cook the meats all the way through. Remember to pierce the sausage before cooking to allow fats and water to be released. Set meats aside.
• Prepare meatballs: Combine all ingredients except the olive oil in a large bowl. Form the meatballs with your hands (there should be about 12). Fry in the olive oil over medium heat until browned, but not cooked all the way through. Set aside.
• For the gravy: Saute garlic in the olive oil in the same skillet used to saute the meats. Add tomato paste and cook for a few minutes. In a large saucepot, combine the remaining ingredients except the meats and the tomato paste-garlic mixture and simmer. When the mixture begins to bubble, add all the meats and the meatballs. Stir about every 15 minutes, being sure to scrape the bottom of the pot to prevent burning and sticking. If the gravy seems too thick, add a little water at a time. Simmer for about 3 hours, keeping the lid of the pot slightly askew to prevent condensation of the gravy.

Steps:

• Blend all ingredients together until it looks like a loose pancake batter. This will make between 8 to 10 crepes, depending on how thin they are made. They work best when they are almost paper thin. Pour small amount onto hot crepe pan and cook approximately 2 minutes on each side.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Layer a large ovenproof baking dish with about 1/4 of the tomato sauce. In a medium bowl mix the ricotta with the egg, salt, and pepper. Spread the ricotta on the Crepe in a straight line, fold edges of crepes over. Place in pan, flap side up. Put a thin slice of mozzarella on each manicotti. Pour tomato sauce over all. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve.
• In a medium bowl whisk eggs and water until smooth. Add flour, 1/4 cup at a time, and stir until smooth. Heat 6-inch skillet on medium heat. Grease skillet lightly. Ladle about 3 tablespoons of batter in skillet and spread it around. Cook until firm, but not brown. Flip crepes out and cool on a paper towel.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. First, make the marinara sauce. In a saucepan heat oil. Add onion and cook for 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes more. Add tomatoes, pinch of sugar, salt and pepper and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. Puree the mixture through the fine disk of a food mill and then return to the saucepan. Reduce for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, make your filling. In a bowl mix together ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, egg yolk, minced basil, parsley, nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste. Fill your manicotti tubes with the filling mixture. When all the tubes are filled place them in a baking dish. Spoon marinara sauce over the tubes and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. (Can be refrigerated for several hours or overnight at this point or may be frozen.) When ready to cook, place in the oven and bake, covered for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for 5 to 10 minutes longer, or until bubbling and heated through. Serve each portion with a sprig of fresh basil.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 13x9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain; rinse with cool water. Let pasta dry on paper towels.
• For filling, in medium bowl, stir together 3 cups mozzarella with the ricotta and fresh basil. Using a teaspoon, carefully stuff pasta shells with prepared cheese mixture.
• 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.

Steps:

• Saute mushrooms and garlic in olive oil until tender.
• Add ground beef and sausage and brown.
• Drain.
• Boil manicotti noodles according to pkg directions, being careful not to overcook. Aldente is best.
• Preheat oven to 400°F (350 F @ Sea level).
• In large bowl combine mayonnaise, mozzarella, ricotta, 1/2 Parmesan, and ground beef mixture.
• Stuff manicotti noodles with mixture and place in large glass baking dish. Cover with entire bottle of spaghetti sauce, remaining Parmesan, and oregano.
• Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
• Remove foil and continue baking for 15 minutes or until bubbly.