AuthorMichelle McKernanManicotti literally means "little sleeve" in Italian. The filling is generally ricotta cheese mixed with cooked chopped spinach, and possibly minced meat such as this recipe. The shells are subsequently topped with béchamel, marinara sauce usually made with pecorino romano cheese or parmigiano-reggiano cheese, tomato sauce or some combination of these.
Boil a kettle. Coarsely chop the onion, spinach and parsley.
Heat a medium frying pan over medium heat. Add one teaspoon of the olive oil, the chopped onion and ground beef. Season with salt and pepper. Saute until the meat browns and the onion is translucent, about four minutes. Add the spinach, and cook for a further 1-2 minutes until it has wilted. Remove from the heat, and cool.
Brush one teaspoon of oil over a large baking sheet. Cook the cannelloni shells in a large pot of boiling water from the kettle until slightly softened, but still very firm to the bite, about 1-2 minutes less than the cooking time on the packet. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shells from the pot to the oiled baking sheet and cool.
Meanwhile, combine the ricotta, half of the mozzarella cheese, half the parmesan, and the chopped parsley. Add the garlic, salt, and pepper to taste, and mix. Stir the cooled meat mixture into the cheese mixture.
Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4.
Brush the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil over a 28cm x 23cm c 5cm glass baking dish. Spoon 375ml of the marinara sauce over the bottom of the prepared dish. Fill the canneloni with the cheese-meat mixture. Arrange the stuffed pasta in a single layer in the prepared dish and spoon the remaining sauce over.
Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese, then the remaining 50g of Parmesan over the stuffed pasta. Dot entire dish with the butter pieces. Bake the manicotti uncovered until heated through and the sauce bubbles on the sides of the dish, about 30 to 35 minutes. Let the canneloni stand 5 minutes and serve.
Ingredients
Directions
Boil a kettle. Coarsely chop the onion, spinach and parsley.
Heat a medium frying pan over medium heat. Add one teaspoon of the olive oil, the chopped onion and ground beef. Season with salt and pepper. Saute until the meat browns and the onion is translucent, about four minutes. Add the spinach, and cook for a further 1-2 minutes until it has wilted. Remove from the heat, and cool.
Brush one teaspoon of oil over a large baking sheet. Cook the cannelloni shells in a large pot of boiling water from the kettle until slightly softened, but still very firm to the bite, about 1-2 minutes less than the cooking time on the packet. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shells from the pot to the oiled baking sheet and cool.
Meanwhile, combine the ricotta, half of the mozzarella cheese, half the parmesan, and the chopped parsley. Add the garlic, salt, and pepper to taste, and mix. Stir the cooled meat mixture into the cheese mixture.
Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4.
Brush the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil over a 28cm x 23cm c 5cm glass baking dish. Spoon 375ml of the marinara sauce over the bottom of the prepared dish. Fill the canneloni with the cheese-meat mixture. Arrange the stuffed pasta in a single layer in the prepared dish and spoon the remaining sauce over.
Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese, then the remaining 50g of Parmesan over the stuffed pasta. Dot entire dish with the butter pieces. Bake the manicotti uncovered until heated through and the sauce bubbles on the sides of the dish, about 30 to 35 minutes. Let the canneloni stand 5 minutes and serve.