Even before Ashley became a vegetarian, every year on Christmas Eve growing up, she and her family would make and enjoy manicotti together. We hope you enjoy this recipe as much as she has.
Ingredients:
1 box of manicotti noodles
1 jar of your favorite pasta sauce, divided
1 container of ricotta cheese (15 ounces)
2 cups (8 ounces) of shredded mozzarella cheese
½ cup of chopped parsley
1 teaspoon of salt
½ teaspoon of ground black pepper
2 tablespoons of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Garlic to taste
Instructions:
Boil manicotti noodles for 5 minutes
Drain, rinse under cold water, and set aside covered
Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees
Mix ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, parsley, salt, pepper, and garlic in a medium bowl
Pour one cup of sauce into a 9×13 inch baking dish
Fill manicotti noodles with cheese filling and place in baking dish
Pour remaining sauce over noodles and sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Cover with foil and bake for 30-35 minutes or until thoroughly heated
Note: you can also sauté some fresh spinach in a pan with oil and 2 cloves of garlic and add it to the cheese mixture for a spinach manicotti