Manicotti are delicious and provide an easy way to enjoy the textures of stuffed fresh pasta baked in sauce.

　　

Ingredients

makes 12 manicotti, serving 6

　　Asparagus Filling or Spinach Filling (see below)

　　

For the Manicotti, with Either Filling

1/2 pound (1/2 recipe) Poor Man’s Two-Egg Pasta dough (page 159)

　　Salt for pasta water

　　2 tablespoons butter, for the baking pan

　　2 cups Simple Tomato Sauce (page 132)

　　1 cup shredded Muenster

　　2/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano

　　

Asparagus Filling

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

　　1/2 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces

　　2 bunches scallions trimmed and sliced crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces (about 1 cup)

　　1/2 teaspoon salt

　　1 pound (2 cups) ricotta, fresh or packaged

　　1 egg

　　1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano

　　1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

　　

Spinach Filling

1 pound (2 cups) ricotta, fresh or packaged

　　1 egg

　　1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano

　　20 ounces fresh spinach, cooked, drained, squeezed dry, and roughly chopped

　　2 tablespoons melted butter

　　1/2 teaspoon sea salt

　　1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

　　

Recommended Equipment

A 9-by-13 inch baking dish

　　

Step 1

Prepare either the spinach or the asparagus filling, as instructed below, before rolling and cooking the manicotti squares.

　　

Rolling and Cooking the Manicotti

Step 2

Cut the dough into two pieces. Following the basic procedures on page 189, roll each piece until you have two strips, each about 30 inches long and 5 inches wide. Cut the strips into a dozen roughly 5-inch squares; lay them flat (not touching) on lightly floured towels.

　　

Step 3

Cook the squares, six at a time, in a pot of boiling salted water for 1 1/2 minutes. Lift them out and lay them flat on damp towels. They may have stretched in cooking; if so, trim them to no more than 6 inches on a side before filling them.

　　

Filling and Baking the Manicotti

Step 4

Butter the bottom and sides of the baking dish. Heat the oven to 375°.

　　

Step 5

Spread 1/3 cup of the tomato sauce in the bottom of the baking dish.

　　

Step 6

Place 1/3 cup of the filling on one edge of a pasta square (the side that most needs to be hidden). Shape the filling into an even mound along the edge and roll up the square, snugly enclosing the filling.

　　

Step 7

Place the roll in the pan, seam side down. Fill and roll all the manicotti and arrange them so they don’t touch each other in the pan. Spoon the remainder of the tomato sauce over, sprinkle on the shredded Muenster and then the grated cheese.

　　

Step 8

Cover the dish with foil and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the juices are bubbling and the pasta has started to crisp under the melted cheese. Remove the foil and bake another 4 or 5 minutes, to give the top a deep-golden color.

　　

Asparagus Filling

Step 9

Pour the oil into a medium skillet, stir in the sliced asparagus and scallions, sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and cook about 3 minutes over medium heat, until the asparagus is soft but not browned and the scallions are wilted. Let cool briefly.

　　

Step 10

Stir together the ricotta, egg, and grated cheese until smooth. Stir in the wilted vegetables, scraping the pan to include the oil, and fold together with the pepper and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt until evenly blended.

　　

Spinach Filling

Step 11

Stir together the ricotta, egg, and grated cheese until smooth. Fold in the chopped cooked spinach, melted butter, and seasonings until evenly blended.

　　

A Treat for Tomorrow

Step 12

Double the amount of one of the fillings and you’ll have enough for twelve manicotti using the full recipe—1 pound—of pasta. Wrap the extras individually in plastic wrap and freeze up to 2 months. To use these treasures, just bring the number you want to room temperature and bake as in the recipe.

　　From Lidia's Family table by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich Copyright (c) 2004 by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich Published by Knopf.Lidia Bastianich hosts the hugely popular PBS show, "Lidia's Italian-American kitchen" and owns restaurants in New York City, Kansas City, and Pittsburgh. Also the author of Lidia's Italian Table and Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen, she lives in Douglaston, New York. Jay Jacob's journalism has appeared in many national magazines.From the Trade Paperback edition.