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| Recipes |
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| Ricotta and Spinach Stuffed Manicotti |
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(makes 12 each)
 Manicotti shells, about ¾-cooked - 16
Baby spinach - 2-10 ounce bags Olive oil - as needed Onion, chopped - ¾ cup Garlic, chopped - 4 cloves Ricotta cheese - 1 cup Breadcrumbs - ¾ cup Parmesano Reggiano, grated - ¼ cup Basil, fresh, chopped - 8 leaves Parsley, fresh, chopped - ¼ cup Oregano, fresh, chopped - 2 tablespoons Kosher salt - to taste Pepper, fresh ground - to taste Tomato sauce Onion, small dice - ½ cup Pomi brand strained tomatoes - 1 carton Roma tomatoes, chopped - 1 pound Tomato paste - 1 Tablespoon Red wine - ¾ cup Bay leaf - 1 each Fresh herbs mixture listed above - 1 cup Cook manicotti in salted boiling water till soft, but not quite completely cooked. (We call for 16 shells as invariably some of them break in cooking.) Gently remove from cooking water onto a well-oiled baking sheet; set aside to cool slightly. For Tomato Sauce: Heat olive oil in sauté pan over medium heat; cook onions till just beginning to caramelize. Add all tomato product and cook till bubbling, lower heat and reduce for about 25 minutes. Stir in herbs. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350f. Heat olive oil in sauté pan on medium-low heat; add onion, garlic and cook till translucent – take care not to brown [burn] the garlic! Place in food processor. Heat large sauce pan over medium heat, add spinach. Using tongs, turn spinach till completely wilted. Add salt and pepper to taste; remove from heat and allow to cool enough to handle. Squeeze as much liquid out of spinach as possible with your hands and place in food processor. Add all remaining ingredients to processor and pulse just till everything is incorporated. Using a pastry bag, stuff manicotti with spinach/ricotta mixture. Place in a single, tight layer in baking dish; top with tomato sauce; cover with foil and bake for about 25 minutes. Top with freshly grated Parmesan and serve. Buon Appetito! |
