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From our Kitchen

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Nothing reminds me more of family than the smell of a Sunday sauce simmering on the stove. Making manicotti with my grandmother and mother was something that I always loved to do. I can remember standing on a stool next to the stove watching the shells being made, waiting for my turn to help fill them. They are ooey, gooey, and all sorts of yummy; not to mention you'll impress your guests when you tell them they're made from scratch!

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Ingredients

for shells:

  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup flour
  • 4 large eggs
  • cooking spray

for filling:

  • 2 pound container of whole-milk ricotta cheese
  • 1 pound part-skim mozzarella cheese
  • 1 cup parmesan cheese
  • ¼ cup finely chopped parsley
  • Marinara or tomato sauce
  • salt and pepper to taste
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Grandma Zanfardino’s Manicotti

Directions for shells:

  • Mix the water, flour and eggs together. The batter will be thin. Set aside.
  • Coat the bottom of an 8-inch non-stick omlette pan with cooking spray. Pour approximately ¼ cup of batter into the center of the pan and swirl it around so the batter thinly coats the pan. Cook for 20 to 30 seconds or until the edges lift. Flip and cook for another 5 to 10 seconds. This process is very similar to making a crepe. Repeat until batter is gone, using more cooking spray as needed.

Directions for filling:

  • Mix ricotta, parmesan cheese, parsley, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Set aside. Cut mozzarella into ¼ inch thick strips.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread about ½ cup of marinara (or your favorite tomato sauce) on the bottom of a 13"x9" baking pan.
  • Lay shell on a flat surface and spoon about 2 to 3 tablespoons of filling in the middle of the shell. Add 2 to 3 strips of mozzarella cheese on top of the filling. Fold one side on top of the filling, then the other. Place them seam-side down into the baking pan. When finished laying filled shells in pan, top with a generous amount of sauce.
  • Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until hot and cheese is bubbling.

Serves 6–8