Manicotti

  • Level: Easy
  • Yield: 6 servings
  • Total: 1 hr 15 min
  • Prep: 15 min
  • Cook: 1 hr
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Ingredients

1 pound fresh spinach, tough stems removed, or a 10-ounce package frozen spinach, thawed

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

12 manicotti shells

3 cups Marinara Sauce, recipe follows

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese (about 1 pound)

1 cup shredded mozzarella (about 4 ounces)

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese or a mixture of half Pecorino and Parmesan

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

2 teaspoons unsalted butter, diced

Marinara Sauce: 

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 medium onion, diced (about 3 tablespoons)

3 cloves garlic, chopped

One 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes with their juices (3 1/2 cups), roughly chopped

1 sprig fresh thyme

1 sprig fresh basil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. 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.
  3. In the same large pot of boiling water, cook the manicotti shells according to the package directions until al dente. Drain and pat dry.
  4. 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. 
  5. Bake for 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

Marinara Sauce: 

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Yield: 3 1/2 cups
  4. Copyright 2001 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved.

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Cape_Cod_Foodie

I’ve prepared this recipe twice, and my husband and I love it! I use my own sauce, because I always have some in the fridge, and it’s very similar to the one in this tecioe. The next time I make it I will use less mozzarella, because I think it makes my filling too runny.

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