Are you craving a taste of authentic Italian comfort food? Look no further than Nonna's Homemade Manicotti Shells. This classic dish is a delightful combination of creamy ricotta filling, tender pasta shells, and a rich tomato sauce. Nonna's version is a family heirloom recipe passed down through generations, guaranteeing an unforgettable culinary experience. With its layers of flavor and comforting textures, Nonna's Manicotti Shells will transport you to the heart of Italy's culinary traditions.
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MANICOTTI SHELLS
Fill with your favorite filling, fold over sides and bake with sauce and cheese.
Provided by DianeW
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European Italian
Time 20m
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 4
Steps:
- Mix together: flour, water, eggs and salt to make a thin, smooth batter. Pour about 1/4 cup batter onto lightly greased griddle. Cook until top forms film.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 334.8 calories, Carbohydrate 48.3 g, Cholesterol 279 mg, Fat 8.1 g, Fiber 1.7 g, Protein 15.9 g, SaturatedFat 2.4 g, Sodium 251.6 mg, Sugar 0.7 g
HOMEMADE CREPE-STYLE MANICOTTI
Contrary to popular opinion, traditional versions of manicotti ("sleeves" in Italian) are made using fresh pasta sheets or crepes, which gives the dish its namesake drape, unlike when made with the store-bought tubes. Thanks to their high egg content, the crepes here are a sort of hybrid of the two in that they resemble fresh pasta but are super light and tender. They are also simple to make and to stuff (no more cracked pasta shells!). Resist the urge to cook the crepes in a nonstick skillet, which can cause scorching; a stainless steel pan is your best bet, allowing them to steam without the slightest sticking. One update to some original versions is that the filling is bound with mozzarella rather than an egg to keep the manicotti from being too firm. You can make the crepes and even assemble the whole dish ahead of time and then bake it just before serving.
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Categories main-dish
Time 2h35m
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 18
Steps:
- For the sauce: Combine the canned tomatoes in a large bowl, reserving the cans. Crush the tomatoes with your hands. Put the olive oil and garlic in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the garlic is translucent and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until warm, about 30 seconds, then add the tomatoes. Fill each reserved can halfway with water, swish to collect any remaining tomato juice and add to the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 35 minutes. Stir in the whole basil sprigs, season with salt and black pepper and remove from the heat. You should have about 6 cups of sauce.
- For the crepes: Puree the eggs, flour, milk, water and 1 teaspoon salt in a blender until smooth. Let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Heat an 8-inch stainless steel skillet over medium-low heat (see Cook's Note). Pour 1/4 cup of the batter off center into the pan with a ladle or measuring cup, then swirl to coat the bottom. Cook until the crepe looks dry and pulls away from the sides of the pan, 1 to 2 minutes per side. The crepes should not take on any color. (It usually takes one or two tries to get it right so adjust the heat as needed.) Transfer the crepe to a plate. Continue cooking the crepes with the remaining batter, stacking them on the plate when they are done. You should have about 16 good crepes. At this point the crepes can be wrapped tightly and stored on the plate in the refrigerator up to 1 day.
- For the filling: Combine the ricotta, mozzarella, Parmigiano, Pecorino, parsley, nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper.
- To assemble, preheat the oven to 375F. Cover the bottom of each of two 9-by-13-inch baking dishes with 1 1/2 cups sauce (it is fine to also add the basil sprigs to the bottom of the dish if you like). Divide the filling among the crepes (about 1/4 cup each) and spread it in a line down the center of each crepe. Roll the crepes into cylinders (leaving the ends open) and fit them snugly in the baking dishes, seam-side down. Spoon 1 cup of the sauce in a line down the center of each baking dish (it will only partially cover the crepes). The manicotti can be assembled up to this point, covered tightly and refrigerated overnight; remove the covering before baking.
- Cover the baking dishes with lids or aluminum foil and bake until the filling is heated through and the sauce is bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the cover, sprinkle with some Parmigiano and continue to bake until the cheese is melted and the edges are light brown, 5 to 10 minutes more. Heat the remaining sauce in a small saucepan or the microwave and serve alongside the manicotti.
NONNA'S HOME MADE MANICOTTI SHELLS
Steps:
- Mix together until consistancy of heavy cream. Adjust flour accordingly. On med heat in non-stick crepe pan, ladle about 1/8-1/4 cup (depending on pan size)mixture and swirl in pan until bottom covered. Cook until shiny, about 30 seconds. Flip and cook other side 15 seconds or so. Slide cooked shell onto parchment paper covered surface and cool. At this point you can fill and cook, refrigerate until next day and fill and cook,or freeze shells for later use.
NO BOIL MANICOTTI
This is an easy recipe since you don't need to precook the pasta and the shells are firm when you try to stuff them.
Provided by Smockmock
Categories Manicotti
Time 1h5m
Yield 14 manicottis, 7 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 19
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Combine Ricotta, 4 oz Mozzarella, Parmesan, 1 tsp sugar, egg, nutmeg, parsley, salt and pepper.
- Stuff uncooked manicotti generously with cheese mixture, from both ends. (Tip: I put mixture in a plastic bag and cut off a small corner to squeeze the mixture in the shells easily).
- Arrange manicotti in a single layer in a slightly greased 13 x 9 inch baking dish.
- Combine diced tomatoes, tomato paste, water, onion flakes, basil, rosemary, oregano, sugar, salt and pepper in a small or medium sauce pan and bring to just a boil.
- Pour sauce over manicotti covering completely.
- Cover baking dish with aluminum foil, crimping edges to seal tightly.
- Bake for 40 minutes at 400°F.
- Remove foil, sprinkle generously with remaining mozzarella.
- Bake uncovered for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
FRESH MANICOTTI SHELLS
A quick batter for fresh manicotti shells that taste MUCH better than dried pasta. Impress your family and friends with very little effort!
Provided by MNLisaB
Categories Manicotti
Time 20m
Yield 7-9 shells
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- Stir milk gradually with flour, until smooth.
- Add, stirring constantly, the beaten egg, to which the salt has been added.
- For each shell/crepe, brush a six inch teflon coated fry pan with oil or butter.
- Pour 1/4 cup of the batter in the bottom of pan, tilting back and forth so it spreads evenly.
- Cook slowly until just set, do not brown.
- When set on one side, turn over and let other side set.
- Slide off pan and onto plate to cool slightly.
- Repeat until all of the batter is used.
- Place 2 TBS of your cheese filling into the center of the crepe/shell, bringing sides over so they overlap to hold filling inches.
- Arrange side by side in baking pan with your favorite sauce, topped with shredded cheese.
- Bake at 400* for about 20 minutes.
MANICOTTI
Delicious! Serve with a crispy salad and garlic bread, and you'll have a dish your family will love! The kids like to help stuff the noodles too!
Provided by Anny
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European Italian
Time 1h15m
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Cook manicotti in boiling water until done. Drain, and rinse with cold water.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- In a large bowl, combine ricotta, mozzarella, and 1/2 cup Parmesan, eggs, parsley, and salt and pepper. Mix well.
- Pour 1/2 cup sauce into an 11x17 inch baking dish. Fill each manicotti shell with 3 tablespoons cheese mixture, and arrange over sauce . Pour remaining sauce over top, and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.
- Bake 45 minutes, or until bubbly.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 676.3 calories, Carbohydrate 53.2 g, Cholesterol 188.8 mg, Fat 30.9 g, Fiber 4.3 g, Protein 46 g, SaturatedFat 17.1 g, Sodium 1254.7 mg, Sugar 12.6 g
HOMEMADE MANICOTTI
These tender manicotti are much easier to stuff than the purchased variety. People are always amazed when I say I make my own noodles. My son fixed this recipe for several of his friends, and they were extremely impressed with his cooking skills. -Sue Ann Bunt, Painted Post, New York
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 1h50m
Yield 6 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Place flour in a bowl; whisk in milk, eggs and salt until smooth. Heat a lightly greased 8-in. skillet; pour about 2 tablespoons batter into center of skillet. Spread into a 5-in. circle. Cook over medium heat until set; do not brown or turn. Repeat with remaining batter, making 18 crepes. Stack crepes with waxed paper in between; set aside. , For filling, combine cheeses, egg and parsley. Spoon 3-4 tablespoons down the center of each crepe; roll up. Pour half of the spaghetti sauce into an ungreased 13x9-in. baking dish. Place crepes, seam side down, over sauce; pour remaining sauce over top. , Cover and bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 20 minutes longer or until heated through. Sprinkle with Romano cheese if desired.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 480 calories, Fat 22g fat (11g saturated fat), Cholesterol 201mg cholesterol, Sodium 1128mg sodium, Carbohydrate 44g carbohydrate (17g sugars, Fiber 3g fiber), Protein 27g protein.
Tips:
- Use fresh, high-quality ingredients. This will make a big difference in the flavor of your manicotti.
- Don't overcook the manicotti shells. They should be cooked al dente, or slightly firm to the bite.
- Be careful when filling the manicotti shells. Don't overfill them, or they will burst when you bake them.
- Use a variety of cheeses in the filling. This will give the manicotti a more complex flavor.
- Bake the manicotti until the cheese is melted and bubbly. This will take about 20 minutes.
- Serve the manicotti with your favorite sauce. A tomato sauce or a béchamel sauce are both good options.
Conclusion:
Manicotti is a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. With a little planning and effort, you can make manicotti at home that is just as good as, or even better than, what you would find in a restaurant. So next time you're looking for a special meal to impress your family and friends, give manicotti a try. You won't be disappointed!
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