Homemade Manicotti

This is an old family recipe. My Mom made these manicotti on many special occasions. This is so much better than store bought manicotti pasta shells because these manicotti are so thin and delicate...they truly melt in your mouth.


These manicotti are basically pasta crepes that you fill and roll. So much easier than trying to fill the store bought pasta shells! These manicotti crepes cook up so quickly. Then you just fill, roll, top with sauce, cheese and then bake!

The crepe batter is poured into a small non stick pan. Cooked quickly on both sides.

Then stack the cooked crepes and get ready to fill and roll.

Isn't this so much easier to fill than the store bought manicotti shells?

Then after all the manicotti are filled and rolled, just place them side by side in a baking tray. Top with your favorite tomato sauce and shredded mozzarella cheese. Then just bake and serve slightly warm.

Once you've had homemade manicotti you will never go back to the dry pasta shells ever again!



Homemade Manicotti
makes about 24 manicotti

Crepes:
6 large eggs
3 cups cold water
3 tablespoons corn oil
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups all-purpose flour

Filling:
3 pounds ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated cheese (can use either romano or parmesan)
1/8 cup fresh chopped parsley
1 pound shredded low moisture mozzarella

Topping:
1 pound shredded low moisture mozzarella
6 cups prepared tomato sauce

Directions:
1. To make the crepes, whisk all the crepe ingredients together to make a smooth, but very liquidity batter. Should be the consistency of a creamy soup.

2. Heat a 8-inch non-stick skillet on medium high heat. When hot, pour 1/4 cup of the crepe batter into the skillet and tilt the skillet to spread the batter evenly on bottom of entire skillet.

3. Cook until the crepe starts to look dry and the edges start to pull away from the skillet. This should take about 1 minute. Then, with a spatula, gently flip the crepe. Cook the other side for about 20 seconds.

4. Remove from skillet and repeat process until all the crepes are done. Stack them as you would pancakes.

5. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. To make the filling, mix together the ricotta, grated romano or parmesan, parsley and mozzarella.

6. Fill each crepe with 3 tablespoons of filling by placing the filling in the center of the crepe. Then fold each side of the crepe over the filling, overlapping the crepe. Place, seam side down, on a large baking dish or aluminum foil tray, placing them right next to each other.

7. Pour tomato sauce evenly over each filled crepes. Sprinkle with mozzarella.

8. Bake uncovered for about 20 minutes or until cheese has melted and manicotti are heated through.

9. Remove from oven and allow to rest before serving to give the manicotti a chance to get firm.

10. Serve warm with extra grated romano or parmesan cheese on top, if desired.
Serves 8 - 10 people.

This recipe belongs to My Recipe Journey food blog.