Sun 4 Jan 2009
As mentioned in the previous post, I made a New Year’s resolution to try one new recipe per week since I would like to cook more than I currently do.
So… today I tried a recipe from foodnetwork.com. One of my favorite chefs on the Food Network is Giada De Laurentis. She has a recipe for Beef and Cheese Manicotti that received great reviews and since William and I LOVE Italian food, I decided it would be a good place to start.
Some of the reviews mentioned people altering the recipe slightly to suit their personal taste. I didn’t want to alter the recipe too much, especially the first time, so the only modifications I made were using 1/2 pound beef and 1/2 pound Italian sausage instead of 100% beef. It gave it a nice flavor. I also used a bit more mozzarella and sauce on top than the recipe called for, but that’s b/c I love cheese and extra sauce 
There was also a tip to fill the manicotti shells by using a ziplock bag and cutting a whole in the corner so that you could pipe it into the shells. This was a great idea!! The shells can split easily and it is hard to stuff with a spoon, so the piping worked much better.
Anyway… the recipe turned out great!! William and I both loved it. We both had second helpings are now stuffed. Since I am in Denver this weekend, it worked out great b/c now William has leftovers for lunch and dinner tomorrow. Since I am headed back to Dallas in the morning…. no leftovers for me :-( It’s ok… I need to choose some healthier options for the rest of the week anyway.
I posted the recipe and picture below. I also posted pictures on my flickr page. I am glad the first recipe was a success. Thanks Giada!!
Beef and Cheese Manicotti (courtesy of Giada De Laurentis)
Ingredients
- 4 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
- 1 pound ground beef
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 14 (8-ounce package) manicotti
- 1 (15-ounce) container whole-milk ricotta
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella
- 1 cup grated Parmesan
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 cups marinara sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
Directions
Heat a heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon of the olive oil, onion and ground beef. Season with salt and pepper. Saute until the meat browns and the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, and cool.
Brush 1 teaspoon of oil over a large baking sheet. Cook the manicotti in a large pot of boiling salted water until slightly softened, but still very firm to the bite, about 4 to 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the manicotti from the pot to the oiled baking sheet and cool.
Meanwhile, combine the ricotta, 1 1/2 to 2 cups mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan, and parsley. Add the garlic, salt, and pepper to taste, and mix. Stir the cooled meat mixture into the cheese mixture.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Brush the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil over a 13 by 9 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Spoon 1 1/2 cups of the marinara sauce over the bottom of the prepared dish. Fill the manicotti with the cheese-meat mixture. Arrange the stuffed pasta in a single layer in the prepared dish and spoon the remaining sauce over.
Sprinkle the remaining 1 1/2 cups of mozzarella cheese, then the remaining 1/2 cup of Parmesan over the stuffed pasta. Dot entire dish with the butter pieces. Bake the manicotti uncovered until heated through and the sauce bubbles on the sides of the dish, about 30 to 35 minutes. Let the manicotti stand 5 minutes and serve.
