This is my Nana Louise Ferrara’s method and technique. I can’t can’t give you her exact recipe because she’d kill me; however, this is almost as good as hers (almost). You start by making the manicotti shells, which are essentially a savory crepe. Stuff with a high-quality ricotta and mozzarella mixture, then roll and bake with a light pomodoro sauce.
| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 2 hr 5 min |
| Active: | 45 min |
| Yield: | 12 manicotti |
| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 2 hr 5 min |
| Active: | 45 min |
| Yield: | 12 manicotti |
Ingredients
- 17.5 ounces whole milk
- 4 large eggs plus 2 large egg yolks
- Pinch kosher salt
- 8 ounces all-purpose flour
- 4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- 4 cups high-quality ricotta
- 2 cups shredded whole-milk mozzarella
- 1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 1/2 cup grated Pecorino-Romano
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 large eggs
- 1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
- 3 ounces extra-virgin olive oil
- 10 cloves garlic, slightly crushed
- Two 56-ounce cans crushed plum tomatoes, preferably Bianco DiNapoli
- 10 fresh basil leaves
- Healthy pinch red pepper flakes
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 2 ounces extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 12 fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- For the manicotti shells: Combine the milk, eggs, yolks and salt in a bowl and mix with a stick blender until a smooth batter forms. Whisk the wet ingredients into the sifted flour in a bowl. Drizzle the melted butter into the batter. Let rest for 30 minutes.
- In a nonstick medium pan over medium heat, use a 2-ounce ladle to pour the batter. Cook until just set, the flip the crepe onto a cooling rack. Repeat until all the batter is used.
- For the ricotta stuffing: Combine the ricotta, mozzarella, Parmigiano-Reggiano, pecorino, salt, pepper, eggs and parsley in a bowl and mix well, until incorporated evenly. Put the mixture into a piping bag. Pipe 2 to 3 ounces of filling onto each crepe and roll up.
- For the pomodoro: Heat a saucepan over medium-high heat and add the oil and garlic. Lightly toast until starting to get golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the basil and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper.
- For the assembly: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Ladle enough sauce to cover the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, then carefully place the manicotti on the sauce. Drizzle a small amount of sauce over the manicotti. Sprinkle a liberal amount of grated Parm over the top. Drizzle with the olive oil. Bake for 30 minutes. Garnish with the chopped parsley and basil leaves.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 12 servings |
| Calories | 670 |
| Total Fat | 45 g |
| Saturated Fat | 21 g |
| Carbohydrates | 37 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 5 g |
| Sugar | 10 g |
| Protein | 31 g |
| Cholesterol | 226 mg |
| Sodium | 1212 mg |
| Serving Size | 1 of 12 servings |
| Calories | 670 |
| Total Fat | 45 g |
| Saturated Fat | 21 g |
| Carbohydrates | 37 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 5 g |
| Sugar | 10 g |
| Protein | 31 g |
| Cholesterol | 226 mg |
| Sodium | 1212 mg |
Reviews
I didn’t make this recipe, but I just watched the show this morning and had to put in my two cents! Finally, someone who knows how to make manicotti! I’m Italian and this is how my Nonni used to make it and I use her recipe. I make the crepes and fill and bake. I use basically all the same ingredients, but my measurements are different than the ones in the recipe, because it was kind of hard getting exact measurements from an Italian grandmother who probably never owned a measuring cup or spoon in her life! But it was real nice to see someone else make the crepes instead of buying the manicotti shells! Thanks so much for the recipe, I will try it in the future!
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