- Course: Main Course
- Skill Level: Easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Favorited: 110 Times
Can be made ahead of time.
Stuffed pasta is a great way to feed a crowd. This version has two sauces to make it extra-special.
1. Cook the manicotti shells in a large pot of lightly salted water according to the package instructions. Drain, rinse under cold running water, and drain again.
2. Meanwhile, drain the spinach well, pressing out any excess liquid. Mix the ricotta, ½ cup of the Parmesan, and the eggs in a bowl. Add the spinach and mix. Season with the nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Spoon the filling into the manicotti tubes. Arrange them in a lightly oiled 15 × 10in (38 × 25cm) baking dish.
3. For the sauce, heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, until softened. Add the celery and garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and stock and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the sauce is slightly reduced. Stir in the basil.
4. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Pour the white sauce over the manicotti, then spoon the tomato sauce on top. Sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup of Parmesan. Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until the top is golden and bubbling.
Nutritional information is based on 8 servings, 1/8 teaspoon of added salt per serving, but does not include bechamel sauce. For nutritional information on bechamel sauce, please follow the link above.
parksloper
01.24.10 Flag commentMade this tonight. Very very good.
It does take some time because you make the sauces and need to stuff the shells. But well worth it. We can see using meat in the filling another time.
Note, the recipe does not include the instructions for the white sauce. We used the white sauce for the lasagna by the same authors, and used 1/2 of what the recipe called for. They should correct this!