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The secret ingredient: nutmeg
I worked at an Italian restaurant when I was in college, the head chef told me about a secret ingredient he adds to his cheese-stuffed pasta: nutmeg! Just a dash adds a hint of sweetness and depth. When paired with salt and pepper, you’ll be surprised how much it enhanced the taste.
Cooking the pasta
You need to cook the dried pasta before filling it. Boiling them in saltwater seasons the bland noodles. I cook them until al dente with some chew because they will continue to soften when baking in the oven. After removing from the boiling water, immediately rinse them with cold water to stop the cooking process so they don’t get mushy. Al dente noodles are easier to handle when adding the cheese
Make a flavorful tomato sauce
For a quick sauce with intense tomato flavor, grab your can opener! A thick sauce that clings to the pasta shells needs tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, and diced tomatoes for little bursts of the fruit. But first, I always start by sauteing aromatics like chopped onions and garlic in olive oil and adding dried herbs. Then pour in the canned tomatoes and briefly simmer to meld all of the wonderful flavors together.
Place half of the sauce in a large baking dish followed by the pasta in a single layer, and then add the remainder on top. Sprinkle with mozzarella and bake until the cheese is melted and the pasta is hot and bubbly. Cooking the stuffed tubes in the sauce will infuse more flavor and tenderize the noodles a bit more.
Serve this with:
. Garlic Bread
. Salad with Italian Dressing
. Caesar Salad
Manicotti with 3-Cheese Filling
Treat your family to Italian comfort food with this easy manicotti recipe. Jumbo tubes of pasta stuffed with an herb ricotta filling.
Ingredients :
▢2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
▢½ cup yellow onion, finely chopped
▢1 tablespoon minced garlic
▢1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
▢¼ cup tomato paste
▢28 ounces crushed tomatoes
▢14.5 ounces diced tomatoes, do not drain
▢1 teaspoon kosher salt
▢¼ teaspoon black pepper
Pasta
▢4 quarts water
▢1 tablespoon kosher salt
▢1 pound manicotti
Filling
▢2 cups whole-milk ricotta cheese
▢2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
▢½ cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
▢1 large egg
▢1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley, plus more for garnish
▢1 tablespoon chopped basil, plus more for garnish
▢1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
▢1 teaspoon kosher salt
▢½ teaspoon black pepper
▢⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Instructions :
Sauce
Set the oven rack to the center position. Preheat to 400°F (204ºC).
Heat olive oil in a large saucepan or dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and Italian seasoning. Cook, stirring frequently for 3 minutes or until the onion is tender.
Add tomato paste, stir and cook for 1 minute.
Add crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, salt, and black pepper. Simmer and stir occasionally for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Pasta
Boil the water in a large pot over high heat. Stir in the salt until dissolved. Add pasta, cook about 8 to 9 minutes until al dente, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
Drain the pasta in a colander and rinse with cold water until the pasta is cool. Place manicotti in a single layer on a sheet pan. Set aside.
Filling
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