Manicotti
Updated Feb. 5, 2024
- Total Time
- 1¼ hours
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- Olive oil, for greasing the dish
- Salt and pepper
- 1(8-ounce) box manicotti shells (about 14)
- 1½pounds/3 cups whole-milk ricotta
- 8ounces/2 cups shredded mozzarella
- ½cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 2tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
- 1garlic clove, minced
- ⅛teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1large egg, beaten
- 3cups store-bought or homemade marinara sauce
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
893 calories; 47 grams fat; 24 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 16 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 73 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 12 grams sugars; 44 grams protein; 1570 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
- Step 2
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, cook the manicotti shells according to package directions until al dente. Rinse them under cold water until cool enough to handle; drain well.
- Step 3
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the ricotta, 1 cup of the mozzarella, the Parmigiano-Reggiano, parsley, garlic and nutmeg; mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then add egg and mix until smooth.
- Step 4
Transfer to a large resealable plastic bag or a pastry bag fitted with a round piping tip.
- Step 5
If using a resealable plastic bag, use scissors to snip off a corner tip of the bag. Pipe the cheese filling into the cooked and cooled manicotti.
- Step 6
Spread 1 cup of the marinara sauce in the prepared baking dish. Arrange the manicotti in a single layer in the dish. Top evenly with the remaining 2 cups marinara sauce and sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup mozzarella. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- Step 7
Uncover and bake until filling is heated through and cheese is melted and golden, about 15 minutes longer. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve warm.
Private Notes
Comments
It is so much easier to use pasta in baked dishes if you do not cook it first. It also does not become mush this way. Pipe the cheese mixture into the uncooked shells, add about an extra 4-6 oz of water to the sauce and bake. It will come out perfect in less time using fewer pots. I would otherwise use more garlic and grate it into the mixture.
My Italian friends taught me to use crepes, not pasta.
i have discovered Fontina cheese and found that i don't need to use any other cheeses for this dish--because it's so good!!!! usually i want a mixture of flavors but the Fontina is perfect. We buy big blocks of it and cut it into usable chunks to grate. Grating is much easier too if you use a cookie sheet underneath the grater.
My sister swears by this trick to easily fill the pasta tubes: save the plastic trays that the pasta comes in, spray with cooking spray, and fill the plastic indentations using the ziplock bag. Freeze the cheese in the trays. When the pasta is done cooking, slide the frozen cheese "sticks" into the empty pasta and finish as directed.
No problem boiling pasta first. Ran under cold water. Added fresh spinach. Used Rao’s arrabbiata. It was a great meal.
Do not boil the Manicotti Shells. Soak them in warm water while you prep the filling. They will be slightly pliable and won't crack when filling. Like Lasagna, the pasta will cook in the sauce in the oven.
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