Manicotti

Manicotti Shells
Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Cook Time: 10 Minutes
Ready In: 20 Minutes

Yields: 4 servings
"Fill with your favorite filling, fold over sides and bake with sauce and cheese."

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups water
6 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:
1. Mix together: flour, water, eggs and salt to make a thin, smooth batter. Pour about 1/4 cup batter onto lightly greased griddle. Cook until top forms film.

This recipe is from Allrecipes and can be found at:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Manicotti-Shells/Detail.aspx

I like to fill with this manicotti recipe:

Manicotti Alla Romana

Prep Time: 1 Hour

Cook Time: 50 Minutes
Ready In: 1 Hour 50 Minutes

Yields: 7 servings
"This rich meat, spinach and cheese filled manicotti dish is covered with white and red sauces. It takes some time to prepare, but is well worth the effort!"

INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 pound ground beef
1 tablespoon salt, or to taste
1 (10 ounce) package frozen
chopped spinach, thawed and
drained
1 (12 ounce) package manicotti
shells
2 cups ricotta cheese
2 eggs, beaten
3 cups spaghetti sauce, divided
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons chicken bouillon
granules
2 cups half-and-half
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh
basil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
cheese

DIRECTIONS:
1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onions until translucent. Saute garlic for 1 minute and stir in ground beef. Cook until well browned and crumbled. Season with salt and set aside to cool.
2. Cook spinach according to package directions. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add manicotti shells and parboil for half of the time recommended on the package. Drain and cover with cool water to stop the cooking process and prevent the shells from cracking.
3. To the ground beef mixture add the cooked spinach and ricotta cheese. When the mixture is cool, add the beaten eggs. Spread 1/4 cup spaghetti sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Gently drain the manicotti shells and carefully stuff each one with the meat and cheese mixture; place shells in prepared dish. Lightly cover the dish with plastic wrap or a clean, damp towel to prevent shells from cracking.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
5. Prepare the white sauce by melting the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour and chicken bouillon. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring constantly, until it begins to bubble. Stir in half and half and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in parsley. Pour or ladle the sauce evenly over the stuffed shells.
6. Stir the basil into the remaining spaghetti sauce. Carefully pour or ladle spaghetti sauce over the white sauce, trying to layer the sauces without mixing.
7. Cover and bake for 40 minutes. Remove from oven, uncover and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake, uncovered, for 10 minutes more.

This recipe can be found:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Manicotti-Alla-Romana/Detail.aspx

Chicken and Gnocchi Veronese

Chicken & Gnocchi Veronese
Prep Time:
30 min - 2 hrs, 30 m
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

1 small Vidalia onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper, sliced (julienned)

½ zucchini, sliced, (julienned)

Salt to taste

4 chicken breasts, sliced in ½” strips

2 small branches rosemary

1 garlic clove, minced

Juice of ½ lemon

Veronese Sauce:

1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

½ cup ricotta cheese

14 fl oz heavy cream

Gnocchi:

2 qt water

6 oz all-purpose flour

2 eggs

2 lbs russet potatoes

2 tsp salt

OR 1 lb gnocchi (potato dumplings), cooked according to package directions

Procedures:

NOTE: You may make your own gnocchi by following the steps below, or you may purchase them already made.Gnocchi
WASH potatoes and place in water. Cook potatoes until soft (cook time will depend on size of potatoes). Remove potatoes from water and cool in refrigerator.
PEEL cooled potatoes and push them through a fine grater (rice grater) until mashed; do not over-mash potatoes or they will get tough.
COMBINE potatoes, flour and eggs in a mixing bowl. Mix well until dough does not stick to hands (add small amounts of flour at a time if needed).
DIVIDE dough into 4 sections. Roll out each section into a long rope. Cut each rope into ½” pieces. Push fork tines on each piece for the classic gnocchi appearance.
BRING water to a boil in a sauce pot. Drop in gnocchi and cook until they float.

Chicken & Sauce
COMBINE garlic, lemon juice, rosemary and chicken slices in a mixing bowl. Let marinate for at least 2 hours.
COMBINE Parmesan cheese, ricotta cheese and heavy cream in a mixing bowl and set aside.
HEAT sauté pan on medium high. Add extra virgin olive oil, onions, bell peppers, and zucchini. Saute until onions are translucent (do not brown).
ADD marinated chicken slices and cook until slices are brown on all sides and internal temperature is 165°F. Reduce heat and add sauce mixture. Bring to a simmer.
DRAIN cooked gnocchi and add to pan with chicken, vegetables and sauce. Stir to coat gnocchi with sauce.
SERVE gnocchi topped with extra Parmesan cheese.

This recipe is from Olive Garden and can be found at http://www.olivegarden.com/recipes/recipe_search/recipe_display.asp?id=102