Manicotti

Large pasta shells filled with cheeses and baked in marinara sauce.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Keyword pasta

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 25

Total Time 40

Servings

Calories 521kcal

Cook the manicotti noodles according to the package directions for al dente.
In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the ricotta, 2/3 of the mozzarella, and 2/3 of the Parmesan cheese. You want to reserve some of the mozzarella and Parmesan for the top of the dish before baking.
Then stir in the egg, Italian seasoning and most of the chopped basil (again, reserving some of the topping).
Drain the pasta and rinse in cold water.
Using a piping bag, fill each noodle with the cheese filling.
In a rectangular baking dish, add a thin layer of marinara sauce. Then add the filled noodles. Top the noodles with the remaining marinara, cheese and basil.
Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 25-30 minutes. The sauce will be bubbling along the sides. Serve warm.

If you want to add some meat, cook some ground beef or sausage and throw it in with the sauce before baking.

You want the noodles to be slightly undercooked, as they will be easier to handle as you fill them. They will soften and cook more when baked.

Cook 1-2 more noodles than you will need, in case some get torn as you work.

If you don’t have a piping bag, a gallon ziplock bag can work as well. Just fill and cut off one of the bottom corners.