Manicotti Crepes Recipes

MANICOTTI

Steps:

• To make crepes: Mix ingredients together and stir until smooth. Drop by spoonfuls or 1/4 cup of mixture onto a hot, lightly greased nonstick 6-inch pan. Crepes should form and become dry almost instantly as you swirl the pan and its contents. Turn crepe over to cook other side quickly. Remove cooked crepe to waxed paper to cool. They can be stacked with waxed paper between each and then placed in the freezer until you're ready to fill them. This makes about 9 crepes that can be filled with more than just ricotta. Use for cannelloni, blintzes, etc.
• To make ricotta filling: Whip all of the ricotta filling ingredients together. Place a spoonful of filling in the center of each crepe, then roll up, and tuck in the ends. Spread a little sauce on the bottom of a baking pan to evenly coat the pan. Then, arrange manicotti in pan loosely and cover with sauce. Bake at 425 degrees F, when the sauce bubbles, serve.
• Prepare the meats: In a large skillet, brown all the meats in the olive oil. There is no need to cook the meats all the way through. Remember to pierce the sausage before cooking to allow fats and water to be released. Set meats aside.
• Prepare meatballs: Combine all ingredients except the olive oil in a large bowl. Form the meatballs with your hands (there should be about 12). Fry in the olive oil over medium heat until browned, but not cooked all the way through. Set aside.
• For the gravy: Saute garlic in the olive oil in the same skillet used to saute the meats. Add tomato paste and cook for a few minutes. In a large saucepot, combine the remaining ingredients except the meats and the tomato paste-garlic mixture and simmer. When the mixture begins to bubble, add all the meats and the meatballs. Stir about every 15 minutes, being sure to scrape the bottom of the pot to prevent burning and sticking. If the gravy seems too thick, add a little water at a time. Simmer for about 3 hours, keeping the lid of the pot slightly askew to prevent condensation of the gravy.

HOMEMADE CREPE-STYLE MANICOTTI

Steps:

• For the sauce: Combine the canned tomatoes in a large bowl, reserving the cans. Crush the tomatoes with your hands. Put the olive oil and garlic in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the garlic is translucent and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until warm, about 30 seconds, then add the tomatoes. Fill each reserved can halfway with water, swish to collect any remaining tomato juice and add to the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 35 minutes. Stir in the whole basil sprigs, season with salt and black pepper and remove from the heat. You should have about 6 cups of sauce.
• For the crepes: Puree the eggs, flour, milk, water and 1 teaspoon salt in a blender until smooth. Let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Heat an 8-inch stainless steel skillet over medium-low heat (see Cook's Note). Pour 1/4 cup of the batter off center into the pan with a ladle or measuring cup, then swirl to coat the bottom. Cook until the crepe looks dry and pulls away from the sides of the pan, 1 to 2 minutes per side. The crepes should not take on any color. (It usually takes one or two tries to get it right so adjust the heat as needed.) Transfer the crepe to a plate. Continue cooking the crepes with the remaining batter, stacking them on the plate when they are done. You should have about 16 good crepes. At this point the crepes can be wrapped tightly and stored on the plate in the refrigerator up to 1 day.
• For the filling: Combine the ricotta, mozzarella, Parmigiano, Pecorino, parsley, nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper.
• To assemble, preheat the oven to 375F. Cover the bottom of each of two 9-by-13-inch baking dishes with 1 1/2 cups sauce (it is fine to also add the basil sprigs to the bottom of the dish if you like). Divide the filling among the crepes (about 1/4 cup each) and spread it in a line down the center of each crepe. Roll the crepes into cylinders (leaving the ends open) and fit them snugly in the baking dishes, seam-side down. Spoon 1 cup of the sauce in a line down the center of each baking dish (it will only partially cover the crepes). The manicotti can be assembled up to this point, covered tightly and refrigerated overnight; remove the covering before baking.
• Cover the baking dishes with lids or aluminum foil and bake until the filling is heated through and the sauce is bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the cover, sprinkle with some Parmigiano and continue to bake until the cheese is melted and the edges are light brown, 5 to 10 minutes more. Heat the remaining sauce in a small saucepan or the microwave and serve alongside the manicotti.

MANICOTTI CREPES

Steps:

• Place tomatoes in a blender or food processor; cover and process until smooth. Transfer to a large saucepan; add the water, tomato sauce, sugar, oregano and celery salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer gently, uncovered, for 2 hours or until reduced to about 4-1/2 cups, stirring occasionally. , Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat eggs and water. Combine flour and salt; add to egg mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. , In a large bowl, soak bread in milk for 5 minutes. Stir in egg, parsley, salt and pepper. Crumble beef and sausage over mixture; mix well. Stir in mozzarella. Cover and refrigerate until assembling. , Heat 3/4 teaspoon oil in an 8-in. nonstick skillet. Stir crepe batter; pour 3 tablespoons into center of skillet. Lift and tilt pan to coat bottom evenly. Cook until top appears dry; turn and cook 15-20 seconds longer. Remove to a wire rack. Repeat with remaining batter, using remaining oil as needed. When cool, stack crepes with waxed paper or paper towels in between., Spread about 1/4 cup filling down the center of each crepe; roll up and place in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish and 11x7-in. baking dish. Spoon sauce over top; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Cover and bake at 350° for 35-45 minutes or until a thermometer reads 165°.

MANICOTTI CREPES

Steps:

• Beat all ingredients together until smooth.
• Pour about 1/4 cup in small frying pan (DO NOT ADD OIL, BUTTER OR PAM TO THE FRYING PAN) and tip pan until mixture is evenly spread or use back of spoon and spread.
• Crepe should be as thin as possible.
• When edges get dry and turn upward, flip crepe over and fry other side until lightly browned (1 minute). Fill each crepe with your favorite manicotti filling.

MAKEOVER MANICOTTI CREPES

Steps:

• For sauce, place tomatoes in a blender; cover and process until smooth. Transfer to a large saucepan; add the water, tomato sauce, sugar, oregano and celery salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; gently simmer, uncovered, for 2 hours or until reduced to 4-1/2 cups, stirring occasionally. , Meanwhile, for crepes, beat the eggs, egg substitute, milk and oil in a large bowl. Combine flour and salt; add egg mixture and stir until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. , For filling, in a large bowl, soak bread in milk for 5 minutes. Stir in the egg substitute, green pepper, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper. Crumble beef and sausage over mixture and mix well. Stir in mozzarella. Cover and refrigerate until assembling. , Coat an 8-in. nonstick skillet with cooking spray; heat. Stir crepe batter; pour 3 tablespoons into center of skillet. Lift and tilt pan to coat bottom evenly. Cook until top appears dry; turn and cook 15-20 seconds longer. Remove to a wire rack. Repeat with remaining batter, coating skillet with cooking spray as needed. When cool, stack crepes with waxed paper or paper towels in between. , Spread about 1/4 cup filling down the center of each crepe; roll up and place in a 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish and an 11x7-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Spoon sauce over top; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. , Cover and bake at 350° for 35-45 minutes or until a thermometer reads 160°

MANICOTTI- CHEESE FILLED ITALIAN CREPES

Steps:

• Crepes.
• In either a blender or mixing bowl mix together the eggs and water first.
• Add flour into this slowly till smooth.
• Put in refrigerator for at least 1/2 hour. (this can be made a day before to save on time).
• While the crepe mixture is resting, start on the filling.
• In a large bowl mix together the Ricotta, Pecorino Romano cheese, Mozzarella, basil, parsley, eggs and pepper.
• Mix till all ingredients are incorporated.
• Cover and put in refrigerator till needed.
• After the crepe mixture has rested for 1/2 hour you can start to prepare them. I use an 8-inch non-stick fry pan. You can use one of them or a crepe pan. Just make sure it's non stick. Very important!
• Heat the pan on medium heat. Once heated spray with Pam till bottom and sides are covered.
• Pour 1/3 cup of the batter into the pan and swirl and tilt till the bottom of the pan is covered evenly. Return to burner. (If you think you need more or less mixture in the pan adjust accordingly. You want a thin even layer on the bottom of your pan).
• Let it cook till the top of the crepe appears dry. About 1 minute or so. When you first put the mixture in the pan, the top is "wet" looking, slowly it will start to look "dry". Once it's all dry, take a butter knife or spatula and slide under the crepe and flip over. cook for 5 seconds more.
• The crepe should slide out of the pan onto your surface. I put a sheet of aluminum foil on my counter and as I made the crepes I just slide them out onto the foil till they cool. Once cooled you can arrange them on the foil so they overlap each other.
• Spray you pan again with Pam and make another crepe. Do this till all the batter is gone. This recipe makes approx 16-20 crepes.
• Preheat your oven to 325°F.
• Take a baking pan (13x9-inch or larger) and cover the bottom with sauce. The sauce should be room temperature, so that the cheese doesn't melt out of the crepe while you are filling them.
• To assemble the crepe, place about 2 tablespoons of the filling in a line across the crepe and roll it up. place them seam side down in the pan.
• Continue doing that till the pan is full. Based on what size pan you use, that will determine how many you can get in the pan.
• Any extra manicotti that you roll that doesn't fit in the pan can be frozen and kept in a freezer bag for at least 3 months. In the description above I tell you how to recook them.
• Once the pan is full, put another layer of sauce on top of the stuffed manicotti till they are all covered.
• Cover pan tightly in foil.
• Place in 325°F preheated oven and bake for 40 minutes.
• Take foil off and sprinkle the remaining cup of shredded Mozzarella evenly on the top.
• Put back in oven till cheese melts and slightly browns (approx 5-10 minutes).
• Take out of oven and let rest at least 10 minutes and Enjoy!
• Serve with a nice salad and a warm loaf of Italian bread and you have a great meal!

CHRISTMAS EVE MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Whisk 4 eggs and 1/4 teaspoon salt together in a bowl; gradually whisk flour into eggs, alternating with milk, to make a smooth batter. Whisk melted butter into batter; refrigerate at least 1 hour.
• Pour vegetable oil into a small bowl. Heat a small skillet over medium heat; brush skillet with vegetable oil using a pastry brush. Ladle in enough batter to lightly cover the bottom of the skillet, about 1/4 cup; swirl skillet to cover bottom completely. Cook crepe until it turns lightly golden brown on the bottom; flip and cook until other side has small brown spots. Repeat with remaining batter, brushing the skillet with oil as needed to prevent crepes from sticking; set cooked crepes aside between layers of waxed paper.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Lightly mix spinach, ricotta cheese, cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, parsley, green onion, onion powder, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 2 eggs in a bowl until filling is thoroughly combined.
• Spread 1 cup marinara sauce into the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Place a crepe onto a work surface and spoon about 3 tablespoons filling, or more as needed, in a line down the center of each crepe. Roll crepe over filling and set into sauce in pan; repeat with remaining crepes and filling, laying filled crepes into pan. Spread remaining marinara sauce over filled crepes. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.
• Bake in the preheated oven until bubbling and mozzarella cheese is melted and slightly browned, 20 to 30 minutes.