Third Mannicotti Dish

My parents came for dinner, so this was an opportunity to try this again. This time around I added porcini mushrooms to the cheese mix (minced) and sauce,(left whole) which brings a flavor all its own. I changed the parmesan to romano, went back to frozen spinach, (this really is better in taste and texture wise)fresh basil, (nothing like fresh basil) added garlic power to the cheese mixture, used my homemade garlic infused olive oil, in place of regular olive oil  (this lead to me cutting down on the fresh garlic) and added fresh parsley to the sauce and saved some for topping. this added a freshness to the dish as well as appearance. Just make sure after rehydrating the mushrooms to skim them off top of the water to avoid any grit in the recipe. I served this with homemade sourdough bread and ceasar salad with my own ceasar dressing. P.S. you can use the mushroom hydrating water in your recipe after straining it using a coffee filter or cheese cloth. It makes for great added flavor. In this case I saved it for a vege soup I will be making soon.

* Indicates part of the original recipe

Recipe:

• * 12 manicotti shells cooked el dente
• * 1 cup mozzarella cheese for topping
• 1/4 cup fresh romano cheese graded, in place of fresh parmesan graded for topping
•  small handful chopped parsley for topping

For the filling:

• * 10 oz. thawed frozen spinach (excess water squeezed out)
• 2 16oz. cottage cheese
• 1/3 cup mince rehydrated porcini mushrooms
• * 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• * 1/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
• 1 cup graded fresh romano cheese
• * 2 eggs

Combine all ingredients, cover and refrigerate ready to fill pasta shells

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

For the marinara sauce:

• 2 Tbsp. of garlic infused olive oil
• * 1 medium onion chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic minced (3 cloves originally)
• * 1- 28 oz. can whole peeled tomatos in puree, roughly chapped
• * 1 sprig fresh basil
• 1 small can tomato paste
• 1/2 cup whole porcini mushrooms
• 1/2 cup merlot wine
• * 2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper
• 1 pinch of crushed red pepper

Sauté the onion, garlic, and mushrooms in oil until onion is transparent. Add the wine and herbs, simmer until alcohol is burned off, about 3 minutes or so. add tomatos and paste and bring to boil, then set to simmer low for 10 minutes for flavors to marry. Keep in mind this sauce will thicken when baking, if you feel the sauce is to thick, add water or chicken stock to loosen a little.

In a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, pour 2 cups of the marinara in the bottom of dish and spread evenly. Fill each of the pasta shells with the cheese mixture and place uniformly, 6 on each side. Pour the remaining sauce over the manicottis. Sprinkle the mozzarella, romano, then parsley on top. Spray a piece of aluminum foil big enough to cover dish with non stick cooking spray and place it tightly over the dish. Poke a few whole in the top to allow steam out. Bake for 30 minutes, then take foil off and bake for another 10 minutes or until cheese is browned and sauce is bubbling. Let set to cool a bit before serving. Enjoy!

This version was a hit, we enjoyed it immensely. I will make it this way again and again. This challenge was fun, and now the pressure is off. I got a chance to make something I have been wanting to try in like forever and I think I have perfected it. Until I think of something else to add. LOL

Second version Manicotti complete

As you know I made some alterations, first of all before I forget, it came out great and I served it with a braided sweet challah bread and whole green beans with shaved almonds. Again, it was only my boyfriend and myself who sat down for this. He loves it because he gets to take the left overs to work for himself and his coworkers. Funny how you never hear any complaints from those guys. lol I actually get feedback like " when are you making that again?" I always make to much. I am used to cooking for a family and they are all grown and off doing their own thing in different states now. My ex-husband had an empty pit for a stomach, and believe me, I don't miss him or his stomach. lol  Now it is just me and I don't eat that much and I enjoy cooking, so this works out great!
Believe it or not, I have yet again some ideas on how I want to change the recipe for the next time. They always seem to come while eating said recipe and through conversation with someone who has a valid opinion with the same interest. Replacing the ricotta with the cottage cheese did the trick to lighten it up and it even tasted better, and adding the tomato paste in the sauce helped tremendously to tighten it up, because the first was to loose, I thought, and the wine of course, in the sauce, OMG! I heard that the guys at my boyfriends work were humming at lunchtime while they were eating it. lol to funny.

*indicates original part of recipe

This was my recipe:

• *12 manicotti shells cooked el dente
• *1 cup mozzarella;  this will come in later in the recipe
• *1/4 cup parmesan

For the filling:

• Replaced 1 lb. fresh spinach finely chopped, for the *10 oz. frozen,
• Replaced *ricotta with 2 16 oz. cottage cheeses
• *1/2 tsp salt
• *1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
• added 1/4 tsp red crushed pepper
• *1 cup fresh graded parmesan cheese
• *2 eggs 
• omitted the *nutmeg
• omitted the *butter

Combine all ingredients until mixed well, cover and refrigerate until ready to fill pasta.

For the marinara sauce:

• *2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• *1 medium onion chopped
• * 3 cloves of garlic chopped
• *1- 28oz. can whole peeled tomatoes in puree, roughly chopped
• Replaced fresh sprig of* thyme with 1 tsp of dried oregano
• Replaced fresh* basil with 1 tsp of dried basil
• added 1 small can tomato paste
• added 1/2 cup of merlot wine
• * 2 tsp salt
• * 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper

Sauté the onion and garlic in the olive oil until onion is just transparent. add wine and herbs and simmer long enough to cook off alcohol ( 3 min. or so) add tomatoes and paste and bring to a boil, set to simmer low for 10 min. for flavors to marry. Keep in mind this sauce will thicken when baking, so if you feel it is to thick now add chicken stock or water to loosen a little.

*Set your oven to 350 degrees

In a 9x13 - inch baking dish
pour 2 cups of the marinara on the bottom and spread evenly throughout. Fill each of the manicotti shells with the cottage cheese mixture and place them uniformly, 6 on either side. pour the remaining marinara sauce over the manicottis and then sprinkle the mozzarella and maybe some more parm over the top. Spray or butter a piece of aluminum foil (this is to prevent the cheese from sticking to the top) and place it over the pan of manicotti poking a few holes in for breathing. Bake for 30 min. then take foil off and bake for 5 to 10 min more to brown cheese. let set after baking for a bit to cool then serve!

I would have to say my first round of Manicotti was very successful! Although, I think for my second round I am going to make some adjustments. I made the meal for my boyfriend and myself and we both enjoy cooking when we have a chance and this made for some interesting dinner conversation.
We both found the ricotta made the dish very heavy and thought cottage cheese would be a good exchange for the next time. I am also going to replace fresh chopped spinach for the frozen for a fresher taste in the filling and completely omit the nutmeg! This gave an undesired taste, at least for me.
As for the marinara sauce, It was good, but I found it a bit loose. I prefer my sauces a little thicker, so I think it needs some tomato paste and for some depth a little red wine will perk it up. I did not care for the thyme in it either so I plan on replacing that with oregano, and I will use dried herbs instead of fresh, as I have them in my cupboard and fresh are very expensive. (I love fresh herbs, but I have good luck reviving dried herbs by rubbing or steeping  for recipes.)

By the way I served the manicotti with a homemade rosemary focaccia and a romaine, radicchio salad with a simple herb vinaigrette.

Human Bio

Thought I would give making Manicotti a try, I found the recipe on the foodnetwork web site.
wish me luck!
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/manicotti-recipe.html