Baked stuffed manicotti
List of Ingredients
Crepes:
1 cup water
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vegetable oil, plus more for pan
1 cup flour
Pinch salt
Filling:
2 large eggs
1 1/2 pounds whole milk ricotta
1/2 pound whole milk mozzarella, cut into 1/4-inch dice
3 tablespoons grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon butter for baking dish
Marinara sauce:
1 28-ounce can Italian tomatoes
1/8 cup olive oil
1/2 large onion, minced
1 1/2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon dried leaf oregano
Salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 bay leaf
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon sugar, if necessary
4 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil (cut into chiffonade then chopped)
Recipe
For the crepes: Place the ingredients in blender in order listed;
blend at medium speed until mixed thoroughly. Refrigerate crepe
batter for at least 1 hour or until any bubbles disappear. It may be
refrigerated overnight.
To make crepes: For the lightest manicotti, make the crepes very thin
by using as little batter as possible. Heat 6-inch crepe or saute pan
over medium high heat. Using a paper towel, rub about 1/4 teaspoon of
oil over surface of pan. When pan is hot, pour in 1/4 cup batter
while simultaneously lifting and tilting pan to distribute batter
evenly over entire surface. Cook until edges of crepe start to curl
and center is dry to the touch. If necessary, run tine of fork
between edges of crepe and pan to release crepe. Using your fingers,
turn crepe and cook second side just until dry, about 10 seconds
Invert pan over sheet of wax paper and let crepe fall from pan.
Repeat.
To make filling: Lightly beat eggs in large mixing bowl. With a flat
whisk, stir in ricotta, mozzarella, Romano cheese, parsley, salt,
pepper and sugar. Mix ingredients just to combine.
To make marinara sauce: Pass tomatoes and their juices through a food
mill. Discard seed and stems. Set tomato puree aside.
In the meantime, heat a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Add
olive oil. When oil is very hot, add the onions and saute just until
they become translucent, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and saute for
about 1 minute. Using your fingers, crumble in the dried leaf
oregano. Stir. Be careful not to let the garlic brown.
Add pureed tomatoes, salt, pepper and bay leaf and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the consistency
is no longer watery. Taste; add sugar if necessary to reduce acidity.
Adjust salt and pepper. When cooking is complete, add parsley and
basil. Discard bay leaf.
To assemble: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 13-inch-by-9-inch
casserole dish. Divide filling among crepes, placing a strip of
filling down the center of each crepe. Shape the manicotti by lifting
one side of the crepe and folding it over the filling. Repeat with
the other side, forming a cylinder. Transfer each manicotti to the
buttered baking dish, seam side down.
Lightly cover manicotti with a layer of marinara sauce. Cover with
foil and bake 20 to 30 minutes, or until bubbles appear in the center
of the casserole dish.
Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Serve 1 or 2 manicotti per
person, topped with a tablespoon or so of hot marinara sauce and a
light sprinkling of grated Roman or Parmesan cheese. Serves 8.
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