Manicotti from JoEllyn Schultz

From JoEllyn Schultz

I love this recipe because it's "comfort food" and it is an easy vegetarian dish. Manicotti, a green salad and crusty Italian bread and a great bottle of red wine is easy to make for company, nice to bring to a friend in need, or just make it for yourself and enjoy. It is possible to make the sauce ahead of time then stuff the shells right before you're ready to bake. 

 

I have made this dish for over 40 years and it has become a family signature dish. I use a great 9x13 metal pan with a slide-on cover that is perfect for this dish. Enjoy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sauce:

6 T olive oil

1 large onion diced

4 large cloves of garlic crushed and then minced

3 T dried basil

1 t. hot pepper flakes

1 t. oregano

1/2 t. black pepper

1 t. sugar

salt to taste

1 can tomato sauce 15oz.

1 large 28oz. and 1 15oz. can whole tomatoes

1/4 cup water

Heat the oil and then add the onion and garlic. Saute until softened. Add basil, oregano and pepper flakes. Stir to blend flavors.

Add tomato sauce, whole tomatoes, water, sugar, pepper and salt. Break the tomatoes apart as it cooks. I don't use diced tomatoes because the flavor is not the same. 

Bring to a simmer. Turn to low and simmer 20-30 minutes stirring frequently.

It is nice, but not necessary, to make the sauce a few days ahead and let it "age". The flavor is richer.

Cheese Stuffing:

1 15oz. container ricotta cheese

3/4# mozzarella cheese shredded

1/4 C. parmesan cheese grated

1 egg beated

1 T chopped fresh parsley

1 t. sugar

salt and pepper to taste

Stir all ingredients together. 

Assembling:

Use uncooked manicotti noodles. Stuff with cheese filling and arrange in 9x13 pan. The stuffing should be enough to fill 12-14 noodles. Ladle the sauce to cover all of the noodles. Be sure to cover all of the noodles. Cover the pan tightly with foil.

Bake in preheated 400 degree oven for 40-45 minutes. Remove cover and check with a fork. If the noodle is al dente GREAT but if it is too hard recover and bake another 5-10 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle additional 1/4 C Parmesan cheese and bake 5 more minutes.

Let cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. 

Excellent leftovers...if there is anything left!!