Cheese Manicotti
Submitted by HeatherBell
Four-cheese manicotti stuffed with ricotta, fontina, mozzarella, and Parmesan in a homemade tomato sauce. From-scratch Italian comfort food baked until bubbly.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
45 minREADY
75 minThis is the kind of manicotti that makes the whole house smell like an Italian grandmother’s kitchen.
Four cheeses go into the filling: creamy ricotta, nutty fontina, stretchy mozzarella, and sharp Parmesan, all beaten together with eggs, butter, and fresh basil into a rich, luscious mixture.
The homemade tomato sauce comes together while the pasta boils. Just onion, garlic, tomato paste, oregano, and a bay leaf simmered into something simple and deeply savory.
Stuff the shells, blanket them in sauce, shower on more Parmesan, and bake until everything is bubbling and golden.
Chef Tips
- Cook the manicotti just until al dente since they’ll soften more in the oven
- Rinse them under cold water immediately to stop cooking and make them easier to handle
- A piping bag or zip-lock bag with the corner snipped off makes filling the shells much less messy
- Let the dish rest 10 minutes after baking so the filling sets and slices hold together
Variations
- Add a layer of sautéed spinach to the filling for a manicotti Florentine
- Swap the homemade sauce for your favorite jarred marinara on busy weeknights
- Fold in crumbled Italian sausage for a heartier, meat-lover’s version
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350℉ (180℃).
To make the sauce, gently sauté the onion and garlic in the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat until the onion is translucent, about five minutes.
Add the tomato paste and stir.
Slowly add the water and stir.
Add the seasonings and allow the sauce to simmer while preparing the manicotti and filling.
Manicotti: Bring a large pot of water to the boil, add the olive oil, and drop in the manicotti.
Cook al dente, about 12 minutes.
Drain and refresh under cold running water. Set aside.
Filling: beat the ricotta with the eggs until combined in the large bowl of an electric mixer.
Add the grated cheeses and softened butter, beat until combined.
Add the salt, pepper and basil.
Beat on low just until everything is combined.
Gently fill the cooked manicotti with the cheese mixture and arrange in two greased 9 x13 inch pans.
Cover the pasta in each pan with half the sauce; sprinkle on additional parmesan.
Bake for about 20 minutes, until the cheese is thoroughly melted and the sauce is bubbling.
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