Here are two delicious recipes for an Italian classic – manicotti!
Manicotti with Italian Sausage
For this recipe, you will need one pound of Italian sausage, tomato sauce, tomato paste, garlic powder, oregano, fresh mushrooms, ricotta cheese, shredded mozzarella cheese, grated parmesan cheese, eggs, frozen chopped spinach, and one box of manicotti shells.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cook the manicotti according to the directions on the box. Brown your Italian sausage in a skillet over medium heat. When the Italian sausage is done, add 1 can of tomato paste, one 12 ounce can of tomato sauce, and 1 cup of water. Add a dash of salt and pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of oregano, and 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder. Dice your fresh mushrooms and add them to the mixture. Allow this to cook on low for about 15 minutes. While that is cooking, you can make up your filling. Combine one container of ricotta cheese, 3 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese, one cup of parmesan cheese, 1 pack of frozen chopped spinach, and one egg. Stir well. Stuff the manicotti shells with the cheese filling and place the manicotti in the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch pan. Pour your Italian sausage mixture on top and sprinkle some mozzarella cheese on top. Let this cook until it starts to bubble.
Baked Manicotti
For this recipe, you will need ricotta cheese, grated parmesan cheese, eggs, scallions, parsley flakes, one 26-ounce jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce, and one box of manicotti shells.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cook the manicotti according to the directions on the box. In a medium bowl, combine 15 ounces of ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese, one egg, and 1/4 cup of sliced scallions. After mixing that well, add 2 teaspoons of parsley flakes, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Stuff your manicotti shells with the cheese mixture and place in a 9 x 13 inch pan. Pour the jar of spaghetti sauce over it and sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese. Cook in the oven for about 35 minutes until done.
