This delicious treat combines the essence of lasagna with the cheese-filled grandeur of shells. It consists of big pasta tubes filled with a four-cheese mixture and covered with homemade meat sauce. It is the definition of comfort food and will make a wonderful complement to any holiday dinner or cozy weeknight supper!
Ingredients:
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped and divided
- 1 1/4 tsp. kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste
- 1 tsp. Italian seasoning, divided
- 3/4 tsp. ground black pepper, divided
- 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
- 1 lb. lean ground beef (90/10)
- 1 (28-oz.) can plus 1 (15-oz.) can crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 c. chopped fresh parsley, divided
- 1 (8-oz.) box manicotti shells (about 14)
- 1 (10-oz.) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
- 1 (15-oz.) container whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1 c. whole milk small-curd cottage cheese
- 2 1/2 c. shredded low-moisture mozzarella, divided
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 3/4 c. grated parmesan cheese, divided
- 1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
- Nonstick cooking spray
Instructions:
Step No.01
Set oven temperature to 375°F.
Step No.02
One tablespoon of olive oil should be heated over medium heat in a large sauté pan. Add the onion and simmer, stirring regularly, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the onion is tender and gently brown. Add the red pepper flakes, 3 garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon black pepper, and 1 teaspoon Italian spice. Cook for 1 minute, or until aromatic. When the flesh is no longer pink, add the ground beef and simmer, breaking it up with a wooden spoon.
Step No.03
When it comes to a boil, add the smashed tomatoes. After 15 minutes, reduce the heat to medium-low and boil the sauce until it thickens. Take off the stove and add the two tablespoons of parsley.
Step No.04
Concurrently, heat up a big pot of salted water until it boils. Cook the manicotti tubes for 2 minutes less than the time recommended on the packaging. Thoroughly empty and rinse with cold water.
Step No.05
On a kitchen towel free of lint, place the spinach in the middle. Squeeze tightly over the sink to extract as much liquid as possible after gathering the four sides into a bundle. After transferring, chop coarsely on a cutting board.
Step No.06
Ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, 1 ½ cups mozzarella, egg, ½ cup parmesan, ¼ cup parsley, nutmeg, drained spinach, remaining 2 cloves of garlic, ¼ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon Italian spice, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper should all be combined in a medium-sized bowl. Pour the mixture into a bag with a zip top.
Step No.07
Grease a casserole dish measuring 13 by 9 with cooking spray. Transfer 2 cups of meat sauce into the dish that has been cooked.
Step No.08
Cut off the corner of the zip-top bag with scissors. Once the manicotti are done, pipe the cheese filling inside of them and arrange them in a single layer in the plate. After spooning the leftover sauce over the manicotti, carefully cover the dish with foil.
Step No.09
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the edges begin to bubble. Remove the top and scatter the leftover ¼ cup of parmesan and 1 cup of mozzarella. Bake for a further 15 minutes or so, or until the cheese is brown and melted.
Step No.10
After taking the dish out of the oven, leave it for ten minutes. Then, top it with the remaining two tablespoons of parsley and serve it hot or warm.
See Full Recipes: https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/recipes/a45458391/manicotti-recipe/