Manicotti

Manicotti

Manicotti noodles
1 (15 oz) container Ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups mozz
3/4 cup parmesan
1 egg
2 tsp parsley
1/2 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1 jar marinara sauce

Don't cook the pasta shells.
In a large bowl combine the rest of the ingredients except the sauce and noodles. Pour a little of the sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Stuff the UNCOOKED shells with the cheesy mixture. Top with the rest of the sauce. Bake at 325 for 55-65 minutes.


This is the same recipe I've made and posted before, only I learned a little tip along the way.  Now I can use the actual manicotti noodles instead of the large shells.  I just don't cook the noodles first.  That makes it easier to stuff them.  Then, put cellophane on the pan tightly, then cover with tinfoil.  Now you may be saying, "WHAT are you talking about?"  You can't cook something in the oven with cellophane on it. :)  Well that's what I thought at first, but someone told me to do it, so I tried it.  it worked great.  I didn't have to cook the noodles, and the cellophane helped hold in  more moisture than just tinfoil would hold in, and the lower, longer cook time allowed the noodles to cook from the moisture in the oven/pan.  Awesome trick.  Try it for yourself.

What's the trick for stuffing the shells?  Click this link.