astrolab
VIP Member (Resident chef)
This rich meat, spinach and cheese filled manicotti dish is covered with white and red sauces. I offer this on the restaurant menu at my company and it is the most popular for casual dinner parties. It's a bit of work but well worth the effort.
Serve 7
Ingredients
30 ml olive oil
80 g chopped onion
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
450 g ground beef
salt to taste
300 g frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
350 g manicotti shells
500 g ricotta cheese
2 eggs, beaten
700 ml spaghetti sauce, divided ( tomato, onion, olive oil, salt , pepper )
30 g butter
15 g all-purpose flour
10 g chicken bouillon granules
500 ml of fresh cream for cooking)
15 g chopped fresh parsley
3 g chopped fresh basil
40 g grated Parmesan cheese
Method
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 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 cooking cream 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.
Serve 7
Ingredients
30 ml olive oil
80 g chopped onion
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
450 g ground beef
salt to taste
300 g frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
350 g manicotti shells
500 g ricotta cheese
2 eggs, beaten
700 ml spaghetti sauce, divided ( tomato, onion, olive oil, salt , pepper )
30 g butter
15 g all-purpose flour
10 g chicken bouillon granules
500 ml of fresh cream for cooking)
15 g chopped fresh parsley
3 g chopped fresh basil
40 g grated Parmesan cheese
Method
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 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 cooking cream 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.
