Manicotti, a classic Italian dish, is a delightful combination of pasta, cheese, and sauce that is perfect for any special occasion, including Christmas dinner. This delectable dish features large pasta tubes that are stuffed with a creamy ricotta and Parmesan cheese filling, then baked in a rich tomato sauce. The result is a hearty and flavorful dish that is sure to impress your family and friends.
This article provides two variations of this beloved dish: a traditional manicotti recipe and a vegetarian manicotti recipe. The traditional manicotti recipe combines the classic flavors of beef, sausage, and ricotta cheese, while the vegetarian manicotti recipe offers a delicious meatless alternative, using a combination of vegetables and herbs. Both recipes are easy to follow and provide detailed instructions to ensure that your manicotti turns out perfectly.
In the traditional manicotti recipe, the filling is made with a combination of cooked beef, sausage, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, eggs, and parsley. The pasta tubes are stuffed with the filling and then baked in a flavorful tomato sauce made with crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, garlic, oregano, and basil. The result is a hearty and satisfying dish that is sure to be a hit with meat lovers.
The vegetarian manicotti recipe offers a delicious meatless alternative to the classic dish. The filling is made with a combination of sautéed vegetables, including spinach, mushrooms, zucchini, and carrots, as well as ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, eggs, and herbs. The pasta tubes are stuffed with the filling and then baked in a light tomato sauce made with crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, garlic, oregano, and basil. The result is a flavorful and satisfying dish that is sure to please vegetarians and meat-eaters alike.
Whether you choose to make the traditional manicotti or the vegetarian manicotti, this article provides all the information and instructions you need to create a delicious and memorable dish for your Christmas dinner.
HOMEMADE MANICOTTI
These tender manicotti are much easier to stuff than the purchased variety. People are always amazed when I say I make my own noodles. My son fixed this recipe for several of his friends, and they were extremely impressed with his cooking skills. -Sue Ann Bunt, Painted Post, New York
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 1h50m
Yield 6 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 12
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.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 480 calories, Fat 22g fat (11g saturated fat), Cholesterol 201mg cholesterol, Sodium 1128mg sodium, Carbohydrate 44g carbohydrate (17g sugars, Fiber 3g fiber), Protein 27g protein.
CHRISTMAS EVE MANICOTTI
My mother is full-blooded Sicilian. Christmas Eve we celebrated the Vigil and had 7 fish dishes. Since my children were not super fans of anything more than shrimp, I made manicotti to add to the squid and octopus they didn't like. The crepes and the fluffy cheese and spinach filling are sure to satisfy vegetarians as well.
Provided by Fantasy Gardener and Chef
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European Italian
Time 3h
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 18
Steps:
- Whisk 4 eggs and 1/4 teaspoon salt together in a bowl; gradually whisk flour into eggs, alternating with milk, to make a smooth batter. Whisk melted butter into batter; refrigerate at least 1 hour.
- Pour vegetable oil into a small bowl. Heat a small skillet over medium heat; brush skillet with vegetable oil using a pastry brush. Ladle in enough batter to lightly cover the bottom of the skillet, about 1/4 cup; swirl skillet to cover bottom completely. Cook crepe until it turns lightly golden brown on the bottom; flip and cook until other side has small brown spots. Repeat with remaining batter, brushing the skillet with oil as needed to prevent crepes from sticking; set cooked crepes aside between layers of waxed paper.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Lightly mix spinach, ricotta cheese, cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, parsley, green onion, onion powder, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 2 eggs in a bowl until filling is thoroughly combined.
- Spread 1 cup marinara sauce into the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Place a crepe onto a work surface and spoon about 3 tablespoons filling, or more as needed, in a line down the center of each crepe. Roll crepe over filling and set into sauce in pan; repeat with remaining crepes and filling, laying filled crepes into pan. Spread remaining marinara sauce over filled crepes. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.
- Bake in the preheated oven until bubbling and mozzarella cheese is melted and slightly browned, 20 to 30 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 505.1 calories, Carbohydrate 42.1 g, Cholesterol 203.1 mg, Fat 26.4 g, Fiber 3.7 g, Protein 25.1 g, SaturatedFat 13.7 g, Sodium 886.4 mg, Sugar 10.1 g
HOMEMADE SPINACH MANICOTTI
The secret to the best, irresistible manicotti is to make them from scratch with homemade crespelles, which are basically Italian crepes. These are filled with spinach, egg and three cheeses and topped with homemade sauce. Filling and delicious!
Provided by Gina
Categories Dinner
Time 50m
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Start by making the crespelles (see recipe link above)
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- In a large bowl, combine ricotta, 1-1/2 cups of the mozzarella, egg, spinach, parmesan cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper.
- Fill each crespelle with 1/4 cup spinach filling and roll.
- In a large baking dish, (or two smaller dishes) pour 1 cup of sauce on the bottom of the dish. Place rolled manicotti seem side down onto baking dish. Top with 1 1/2 cups more sauce and remaining mozzarella cheese.
- Cover with foil and bake about about 25 minutes, until hot and bubbling, and the cheese is melted.
- *Use substitute for vegetarian parmesan.
Nutrition Facts : ServingSize 2 manicotti, Calories 277 kcal, Carbohydrate 20 g, Protein 22.5 g, Fat 12.5 g, SaturatedFat 6 g, Cholesterol 77 mg, Sodium 698 mg, Fiber 3 g, Sugar 5 g
HOMEMADE CREPE-STYLE MANICOTTI
Contrary to popular opinion, traditional versions of manicotti ("sleeves" in Italian) are made using fresh pasta sheets or crepes, which gives the dish its namesake drape, unlike when made with the store-bought tubes. Thanks to their high egg content, the crepes here are a sort of hybrid of the two in that they resemble fresh pasta but are super light and tender. They are also simple to make and to stuff (no more cracked pasta shells!). Resist the urge to cook the crepes in a nonstick skillet, which can cause scorching; a stainless steel pan is your best bet, allowing them to steam without the slightest sticking. One update to some original versions is that the filling is bound with mozzarella rather than an egg to keep the manicotti from being too firm. You can make the crepes and even assemble the whole dish ahead of time and then bake it just before serving.
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Categories main-dish
Time 2h35m
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 18
Steps:
- For the sauce: Combine the canned tomatoes in a large bowl, reserving the cans. Crush the tomatoes with your hands. Put the olive oil and garlic in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the garlic is translucent and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until warm, about 30 seconds, then add the tomatoes. Fill each reserved can halfway with water, swish to collect any remaining tomato juice and add to the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 35 minutes. Stir in the whole basil sprigs, season with salt and black pepper and remove from the heat. You should have about 6 cups of sauce.
- For the crepes: Puree the eggs, flour, milk, water and 1 teaspoon salt in a blender until smooth. Let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Heat an 8-inch stainless steel skillet over medium-low heat (see Cook's Note). Pour 1/4 cup of the batter off center into the pan with a ladle or measuring cup, then swirl to coat the bottom. Cook until the crepe looks dry and pulls away from the sides of the pan, 1 to 2 minutes per side. The crepes should not take on any color. (It usually takes one or two tries to get it right so adjust the heat as needed.) Transfer the crepe to a plate. Continue cooking the crepes with the remaining batter, stacking them on the plate when they are done. You should have about 16 good crepes. At this point the crepes can be wrapped tightly and stored on the plate in the refrigerator up to 1 day.
- For the filling: Combine the ricotta, mozzarella, Parmigiano, Pecorino, parsley, nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper.
- To assemble, preheat the oven to 375F. Cover the bottom of each of two 9-by-13-inch baking dishes with 1 1/2 cups sauce (it is fine to also add the basil sprigs to the bottom of the dish if you like). Divide the filling among the crepes (about 1/4 cup each) and spread it in a line down the center of each crepe. Roll the crepes into cylinders (leaving the ends open) and fit them snugly in the baking dishes, seam-side down. Spoon 1 cup of the sauce in a line down the center of each baking dish (it will only partially cover the crepes). The manicotti can be assembled up to this point, covered tightly and refrigerated overnight; remove the covering before baking.
- Cover the baking dishes with lids or aluminum foil and bake until the filling is heated through and the sauce is bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the cover, sprinkle with some Parmigiano and continue to bake until the cheese is melted and the edges are light brown, 5 to 10 minutes more. Heat the remaining sauce in a small saucepan or the microwave and serve alongside the manicotti.
HOMEMADE MANICOTTI
I found this recipe in Rachael Ray's magazine and made it my own. As a kid, crepes (palachinche) in my house was a dessert filled with jelly, rolled like a cigar and eaten before my mother can put them on the table. So I thought it was cool that they were incorporated into this dish. I have to say, I willl never use store bought manicotti for this dish!
Provided by Ingrid Nicolich-Obr
Categories Manicotti
Time 1h5m
Yield 13 Crepes, 4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350.
- In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, 1/2 cup romano, parsley and milk.
- In another bowl, whisk eggs with 1 cup of water. Whisk in flour.
- Heat a greased 8" non-stick skillet over medium heat.
- Ladle (small one) batter into skillet, swirling to cover surface of pan.
- Cook for 1 minute on each side.
- Repeat with remaining batter. (spraying cooking spray with each new crepe).
- Stack crepes on plate. (You should wind up with 13 crepes).
- Spread half of the meat sauce into a 9x13 baking dish.
- Spoon cheese mixture onto center of crepe and roll closed.
- Arrange in baking dish.
- Top with remaining sauce and cheeses.
- Bake for 25 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 731.5, Fat 43.1, SaturatedFat 25.4, Cholesterol 305.4, Sodium 1944.4, Carbohydrate 38.7, Fiber 3.5, Sugar 9.3, Protein 48.2
MANICOTTI
Delicious! Serve with a crispy salad and garlic bread, and you'll have a dish your family will love! The kids like to help stuff the noodles too!
Provided by Anny
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European Italian
Time 1h15m
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Cook manicotti in boiling water until done. Drain, and rinse with cold water.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- In a large bowl, combine ricotta, mozzarella, and 1/2 cup Parmesan, eggs, parsley, and salt and pepper. Mix well.
- Pour 1/2 cup sauce into an 11x17 inch baking dish. Fill each manicotti shell with 3 tablespoons cheese mixture, and arrange over sauce . Pour remaining sauce over top, and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.
- Bake 45 minutes, or until bubbly.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 676.3 calories, Carbohydrate 53.2 g, Cholesterol 188.8 mg, Fat 30.9 g, Fiber 4.3 g, Protein 46 g, SaturatedFat 17.1 g, Sodium 1254.7 mg, Sugar 12.6 g
CHRISTMAS VACATION MANICOTTI CASSEROLE
When the whole family is home for the holidays, it's nice to have several recipes on hand that you can put together in the afternoon while they're off doing something else, and then be able to sit down together at the table for supper. This recipe is one of THOSE....put together and gather 'round the table to inhale it! Better double this recipe when you have a crowd! The crusty top will be so inviting you'll be drooling from just looking at it! This one comes from Gooseberry Patch's Christmas book (2008).
Provided by Debber
Categories One Dish Meal
Time 1h15m
Yield 1 13x9 pan, 6-8 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- Cook pasta according to package directions; drain & set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350; grease a 13x9 pan; set aside.
- Meanwhile, melt 3 T of the butter in a large skillet, add the 'shrooms and garlic; saute until mushroom liquid is absorbed; transfer to a large bowl.
- Melt remaining tablespoon of butter; drop spinach bits into that and stir to coat--quickly; add this to the mushroom mixture.
- Stir in ricotta, parmesan, egg, salt and pepper.
- Spoon mixture into a LARGE ziplock bag, snip the corner off and squeeze filling into shells; place shells into prepared pan.
- Melt remaining butter, over low heat; whisk in flour until smooth; cook ONE minute to let it become golden brown.
- Whisk in half-n-half/cream, cook at medium heat, whisking constantly until it's thick and bubbly; stir in salt; add favorite cheese, stirring well until it is completely melted; pour over stuffed shells.
- Toast the bread, cut into small cubes (toast again to get maximum crispiness--without overly BROWNING).
- Combine in a bowl, the crumbs with shredded cheese mixture and melted butter; toss this and then sprinkle over the shells.
- Bake uncovered for 45 minutes (bubbly).
Nutrition Facts : Calories 630.1, Fat 52.8, SaturatedFat 32.4, Cholesterol 190.2, Sodium 1140.4, Carbohydrate 17.7, Fiber 2.4, Sugar 2.3, Protein 24.6
HOMEMADE MANICOTTI (FOR CHRISTMAS DINNER)
Steps:
- Manicotti Shells Use a ladle to spoon batter onto skillet making thin crepes. Flip when small bubbles begin to appear. *Before pouring batter onto skillet use a piece of wax paper and rub it on skillet to prevent sticking. Manicotti Filling Mix all ingredients (except sauce) together in a medium sized mixing bowl. Using a spoon, put a spoonful of filling in the middle of each crepe. Roll the shell up and place in a 13x9 pan lined with sauce. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes or until hot or Refrigerate until ready to use.
Tips:
- Choose the right pasta. Manicotti tubes are traditionally used for this dish, but you can also use jumbo shells, cannelloni, or lasagna noodles.
- Make sure the pasta is cooked al dente. This will help prevent it from becoming mushy when it is baked.
- Use a flavorful filling. The filling is what really makes this dish shine, so don't skimp on the ingredients. Try a combination of meats, cheeses, and vegetables.
- Don't overstuff the pasta. You want the pasta to be able to hold its shape when it is baked, so don't pack it too tightly with filling.
- Use a flavorful sauce. The sauce is what brings all the flavors of this dish together. Try a tomato sauce, a cream sauce, or a combination of the two.
- Bake the manicotti until it is golden brown and bubbly. This will ensure that the pasta is cooked through and the filling is hot and melted.
Conclusion:
Homemade manicotti is a delicious and impressive dish that is perfect for a special occasion. With a little planning and effort, you can create a dish that your family and friends will love.
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