CSS

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Easy Baked Manicotti

Cheesy stuffed pasta is one of my favorite meals. I really like the addition of pesto in this recipe. It's an easy alternative to dried herbs, and has a better flavor in my opinion. You can find pesto in a jar on the pasta aisle.

Easy Baked Manicotti
adapted from kraftfoods.com
2 cups spaghetti sauce, divided
1 3/4 cups ricotta cheese
2 cups mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (the powdered kind)
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup pesto
12 manicotti shells, cooked, rinsed in cold water

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Spread 3/4 cup sauce onto bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish. Mix ricotta cheese, 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, egg, and pesto until well blended; spoon into a large resealable plastic bag. Use scissors to cut small corner from bottom of bag.
3. Fill manicotti shells by squeezing cheese mixture into both sides of each shell; place in baking dish. Top with remaining sauce; cover with foil.
4. Bake 30 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle on remaining 1/2 cup of cheese. Return to oven and bake for 10 more minutes or until cheese is melted.
Serves 6

No comments: