Manicotti

Tomato Sauce
1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
3 TB olive oil
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes (Cento brand are very good)
1 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
12 oz. drinkable but undistinguished red wine
1 tsp kosher salt
tsp red pepper flakes
ground black pepper

In a three quart saucepan, heat olive oil and sauté onion until translucent, add garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Add herbs and toast for a minute. Add tomatoes, wine, salt, and peppers and simmer while you make the manicotti. Simmer about 20 minutes or until thick and reduced.

Bring 4 quarts of salted water to a boil and cook an 8 oz. package of manicotti (Barilla brand preferred) for 10 minutes or until tender. An 8 oz. package of manicotti logs contains 14 pieces. This recipe fills 12 logs so you have two extra logs in case of damage. Drain pasta when done and toss logs with a little olive oil to prevent them from sticking together.

Cheese Filling
1 15 oz. package whole milk ricotta cheese
1 lb mozzarella cheese, shredded and divided
1 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese, divided
1 large egg
1/3 cup Italian parsley, minced
1 tsp garlic salt
tsp ground black pepper

Mix ricotta, 3 cups of the mozzarella, cup of the Parmesan, the egg, parsley, garlic salt and pepper together in a bowl until smooth. Fill a pastry bag, fitted with a to diameter plain tip, with the cheese mixture.

Ladle about 1 1/2 cups sauce into the bottom of a baking dish large enough to hold 12 logs.
Fill the logs working from one end and then the other of each log. Top with remaining sauce and the remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. You might not use all of the sauce. Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until nicely browned. Serves 4 people generously as a main course.


	Manicotti
Manicotti are plump little logs of ribbed pasta stuffed with a savory cheese filling and topped with a fresh tomato sauce and more cheese. They can be an entrée, a first course to a more elaborate Italian dinner or a nice change from the usual side dishes with barbequed meat or chicken. Keep this dish in mind if you have a vegetarian dinner guest. If you cook for two, make the full recipe and freeze the other half for one of THOSE days. If the idea of using a pastry bag is too daunting, use the sheets of pasta sold for egg rolls, cook until just tender to the bite and roll up the filling in the sheets like an enchilada. Sue Kleber		Tomato Sauce 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, crushed and minced 3 TB olive oil 1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes (Cento brand are very good) 1 tsp dried thyme 2 tsp dried oregano 1 tsp dried basil 12 oz. drinkable but undistinguished red wine 1 tsp kosher salt tsp red pepper flakes ground black pepper In a three quart saucepan, heat olive oil and sauté onion until translucent, add garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Add herbs and toast for a minute. Add tomatoes, wine, salt, and peppers and simmer while you make the manicotti. Simmer about 20 minutes or until thick and reduced. Bring 4 quarts of salted water to a boil and cook an 8 oz. package of manicotti (Barilla brand preferred) for 10 minutes or until tender. An 8 oz. package of manicotti logs contains 14 pieces. This recipe fills 12 logs so you have two extra logs in case of damage. Drain pasta when done and toss logs with a little olive oil to prevent them from sticking together. Cheese Filling 1 15 oz. package whole milk ricotta cheese 1 lb mozzarella cheese, shredded and divided 1 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese, divided 1 large egg 1/3 cup Italian parsley, minced 1 tsp garlic salt tsp ground black pepper Mix ricotta, 3 cups of the mozzarella, cup of the Parmesan, the egg, parsley, garlic salt and pepper together in a bowl until smooth. Fill a pastry bag, fitted with a to diameter plain tip, with the cheese mixture. Ladle about 1 1/2 cups sauce into the bottom of a baking dish large enough to hold 12 logs. Fill the logs working from one end and then the other of each log. Top with remaining sauce and the remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. You might not use all of the sauce. Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until nicely browned. Serves 4 people generously as a main course.
Courtesy of: Real Estate & Living www.somocorealestate.com