Baked Manicotti With Cheese Filling

Total Time: 2 hrs Preparation Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups onions, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 (28 ounce) can italian tomatoes, undrained
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon oregano leaves, dried
• 1 teaspoon basil leaves, dried
• 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
• 6 eggs, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, unsifted
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 lbs ricotta cheese
• 1 (8 ounce) package mozzarella cheese, diced
• 1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Recipe

• 1 make sauce: in hot oil in 5-quart dutch oven, saute onion and garlic 5 minutes. mix in rest of sauce ingredients and 1-1/2 cups water, mashing tomatoes with fork. bring to boiling, and reduce heat. simmer mixture, covered and stirring occasionally, 1 hour.
• 2 make manicotti: in medium bowl, combine 6 eggs, the flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1-1/2 cups water; with electric mixer, beat just until smooth. let stand 1/2 hour or longer. slowly heat an 8-inch skillet. pour in 3 tablespoons batter, rotating the skillet quickly to spread batter evenly over bottom.
• 3 cook over medium heat until top is dry but bottom is not brown. turn out on a wire rack to cool. continue cooking until all of the batter is used. as the manicotti cool, stack them with waxed paper between them.
• 4 preheat oven to 350 degrees. make filling: in large bowl, combine ricotta, mozzarella, 1/3 cup parmesan, the eggs, salt, pepper, and parsley; beat with wooden spoon to blend well. spread about 1/4 cup filling down the center of each manicotti, and roll up.
• 5 spoon 1-1/2 cups sauce into each of two 12-by-8-by-2-inch baking dishes. place eight rolled manicotti seam side down, in single layer; top with five more. cover with 1 cup sauce; sprinkle with parmesan. bake, uncovered, 1/2 hour, or until bubbly.
• 6 to freeze: line baking dish with large piece of foil; assemble as directed. fold foil over to seal, and freeze in dish. when frozen, remove dish.
• 7 to serve: unwrap; place in baking dish, and let stand 1 hour to thaw. bake, uncovered, 1 hour in 350 degree oven.
• 8 *if not using a skillet with a non-stick surface, brush skillet lightly with butter for each manicotti.