Even though there’s still technically another month of summer left, I am already mourning its end. The once gorgeous summer produce is starting to look questionable at the store. If I’m up early or outside in the evening, I can feel the crisp fall air starting to creep in. The days are getting shorter too. Have I told you guys my least favorite part of fall/winter? No, it’s not the snow (I kind of like it actually); it’s the long, dark nights. Sunsets at 4 pm have always made me feel sort of depressed, like there’s just no way that could be all the light we get for the day. I know, if you live somewhere that’s seen a record number of 100+ degree days (like my friend Di, who’s in Texas) you probably think fall can’t get here fast enough, but me, I wouldn’t mind another 3 months of summer. Am I alone??
If I try to look on the bright side, the arrival of fall means I’ll probably start cooking again. Despite the summer heat, I still bake most days, so I rarely want to turn on the oven to cook at night too. That means a huge majority of our meals have been grilled this summer. I’ve flagged a ton of recipes to try this fall when I’m back to cooking more often, and this was one of them. Shane and I were both so eager to try this manicotti we simply couldn’t wait. Comfort food is one of my favorite things about fall and winter, and this manicotti is nothing if not comforting. Cheesy, meaty filling stuffed inside of pasta noodles and topped with a rich, meaty sauce and more cheese! If you scan the ingredient list you’ll notice there’s pepperoni in the meat sauce, which I thought was really interesting. It’s used to add some spice and more flavor to the sauce, and we thought it did the trick. Though the recipe is a bit of work, it’ll probably feed your family for a few days (we had it for dinner 2 nights as well as lunch one day) and reheats really well, so I think it’s worth it.
Baked Manicotti with Meat Sauce
from Cook’s Country (also see on Cookies with Boys)
Meat Sauce**
1 yellow onion, chopped
6 oz sliced pepperoni
1 lb 85% lean ground beef
1 tablespoon tomato paste
5 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 (28-oz) cans crushed tomatoes
Manicotti
3 cups ricotta cheese
2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded provolone cheese (I used all mozzarella)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
16 no-boil lasagna noodles
Preheat oven to 375 F with a rack in the top third of the oven.
Combine the onion and pepperoni in the bowl of your food processor and pulse a few times until the mixture is coarsely ground (it shouldn’t be mushy). Add the ground beef and pulse a few more times until the mixture is well combined.
Set a large saucepan over medium heat and add the beef mixture. Brown the meat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Use a slotted spoon to transfer 1 cup of the meat mixture to a paper towel-lined plate and reserve. Add the tomato paste, garlic and red pepper flakes to the pan and cook for about 1 minute, just until the garlic becomes fragrant. Add the tomatoes and stir to combine. Let the sauce simmer until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
While the sauce is simmering, add 2 quarts of boiling water to a 13×9 baking dish. Drop the noodles in the water and soak until pliable, about 5 minutes. Remove to a kitchen towel to let dry. (Pour the water out of the baking dish so you can use it for assembling the manicotti.) In a large bowl, stir together the ricotta, 2 cups of the mozzarella, 1 cup of the provolone, the egg, salt, pepper, basil and reserved meat mixture.
Spread 1/3 of the meat sauce over the bottom of your 13×9 baking dish. Working with one noodle at a time, lay it flat on your work surface and add a heaping 1/4 cup of the cheese mixture to one end. Spread in a cylindrical shape, then roll the noodle tightly around the filling. Place, seam-side down, in the baking dish. Repeat with all noodles – you should have enough of the cheese mixture to fill all 16. Top the manicotti with another 1/3 of the sauce then cover the pan with foil and bake for about 40 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling around the edges of the pan. Remove the foil and top with the remaining mozzarella and provolone cheese. Bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until the cheese has melted. Let the manicotti cool for 15 minutes before serving.
**The meat sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated. I only used 2/3 of it for the manicotti (which is reflected in the instructions above) but the original recipe did call for using all of it. It just seemed like overkill to me.
What a tasty looking dinner. We’re trying to cut down on carbs, so I would probably just have the meat sauce on greens!
I was a big fan of this, thanks for making it!
Ohh I don’t like when it gets dark at 4pm either! Before I had windows at lab, I would go to work in the dark and leave in the dark during that time of the year. So sad to never see the sun! But at least I can now see it’s out there even if I can’t actually enjoy it.
I’ve been wanting to make manicotti, since I never had, hello inspiration!
School has started and it’s time to look at these types of hardy meals. Although I’m not a fan of meat in my sauce this has inspired me.
Karen
The manicotti looks fantastic!
I tihnk I’m ready for the Fall and Winter though myself. I know what you mean about the short days but I tend to think of them as cozy for the most part.
I was about 95% ready for fall (I love fall and am only so-so on summer), but after seeing that picture, I’m at 100%! I love fall cooking. I really can do without the early nightfall, though. I’m with you there.
I don’t know how close you are to the ocean, but good luck this weekend!
Shhh…don’t let Summer know he is on his way out, we’ve been trying to keep that from him this year hoping he won’t notice. The manicotti looks wonderful. And don’t tell Shane he is eating a vegetable with the tomato bits…shhhh…we need to keep all these things quiet.
I’ve got a big list of things I want to bake when the weather cools off, too. This baked manicotti looks perfect for the fall.
Oh Tracey how I do adore thee 🙂 As im about to return to uni pasta recipes are just priceless (everyone knows the student diet basically consists of pasta and beans on toast!) so this is wonderful, saved and will hopefully save me from becoming nutrient deficient this year!
I crave this recipe, but must wait until the weather cools down a bit.
Great pics of this, Tracey. I love this recipe…. might be the only way I make manicotti from now on.
This looks really good. I don’t usually have pasta on the brain, but now I kinda want to try this recipe 🙂
in Italy we call them cannelloni… anyway they look scrumtious. well done!
Today will be day 72… =) I haven’t made this recipe, but I have made the CI manicotti, which is very similar. I love using the flat noodles & rolling them up–so easy! I should put this on our list to make again soon.
This has “comfort” written all over it – perfect for those long winter nights (I’m not a fan either).
That looks amazing! I’m so going to make it.
And no, you’re definitely not alone in wanting more summer. I’m from Norway, and we’ve barely seen any sun this summer. Sure wouldn’t mind a few sunny months before the dark, freezing winter months arrive!
This looks fantastic! This is one I’ll want to try out soon! 🙂
http://mytastyliving.blogspot.com/
Definitely looks comforting. I have been avoid cooking too in favor of baking. My hubs thinks I’m nuts for even considering turning on the oven. But a girls gotta do what she’s got to do. And this looks worth it to me! As much as I will miss summer, I am looking forward to fall. It doesn’t quite get dark at 4pm on the west coast but it’s not too far behind at 5-5:30.
It could be the rainy skies for the past week or so, but I could sure go for some delicious heavy fall like dishes soon! This manicotti sounds like it would really hit the spot right now.
Great pictures! The plate looks fantastic.