Click to enlarge - Three Cheese Manicotti - two manicotti, a bit of salad and a slice of crusty garlic bread make for a satisfying meal. Three Cheese
Manicotti

A favorite at most Italian-style eateries, manicotti comes in many variations. This is a more traditional three cheese variety, with parsley or spinach, and baked in a marinara-type sauce. If freezing for later use, freeze before baking, thawing before baking later and adding cheese at the end. Arrange on cookie sheet and freeze. Pass cookie sheet over burner flame and the frozen food will release. Store in vacuum-seal bags or prepare in small, individual oven proof dishes for freezer, to oven, to table convenience.
Preparation Time: 30 minutes Life Experience Recipe:
Makes   4 servings

Ingredients:
  • 2 cups marinara or meat sauce, divided
  • 1 15-ounce ricotta cheese
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 8 manicotti pasta tubes
  • 1 8-ounce shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 1/2 box frozen spinach, chopped, thawed, OR 1 bunch fresh parsley coarsely chopped after stems removed

Preparation:
  1. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook manicotti shells according to package directions, but do not over cook. Darin and rinse, allow to drain and cool for handling.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, add ricotta cheese, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, 1/3 cup parmesan cheese, seasoning and spinach or parsley and beaten egg. Mix well.
  3. Prepare baking dish or dishes. Cover the bottom of the dishes with a thin layer of the marinara or meat sauce.
  4. When the manicotti shells have cooled for safe handling, carefully fill the shells with the cheese mixture. Place each filled shell in the baking dish on the sauce layer. After all the filled shells have been arranged in the baking dish, cover with the remaining sauce, covering all of the manicotti shells. Cover wih foil.
  5. Bake in a preheated 350°oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and remove foil. Cover with the remaining mozzarella cheese and return uncovered to the oven until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.  
    Click to enlarge - Filled manicottis arranged in baking dish prepared with sauce, and additional sauce over thee top prior to baking. Click to enlarge - After baking, remove foil and add remaining mozzarella cheese and return to oven until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.

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Latest revision done March 2009