Italian Style Creamy Stuffed Manicotti Recipe
Ingredients
| Butter/Margarine | 1/4 Cup (16 tbs) (Zucchini Sauce:) | |
| Zucchini - 2 cups, coarsely chopped | ||
| Green onion | 1/2 Cup (16 tbs), sliced (Zucchini Sauce:) | |
| Pimento | 1/2 Cup (16 tbs), chopped (Zucchini Sauce:) | |
| All-purpose flour - 1/4 cup | ||
| Celery salt | 1 Teaspoon (Zucchini Sauce:) | |
| Pepper | 1/4 Teaspoon (Zucchini Sauce:) | |
| Milk | 3/4 Cup (16 tbs) (Zucchini Sauce:) | |
| Egg | 1 (Filling:) | |
| Cream-style cottage cheese - 1 cup (8 oz.) | ||
| Water-pack tuna - 1 (9-1/4-oz.) can, drained, flaked | ||
| Herb-seasoned stuffing mix - 1/2 cup | ||
| Ripe olives | 1/2 Cup (16 tbs), chopped (Filling:) | |
| Parmesan cheese | 1/4 Cup (16 tbs), grated (Filling:) | |
| Parsley | 2 Tablespoon, chopped (Filling:) | |
| Chives | 1 Teaspoon, chopped (Filling:) | |
| Manicotti shells - 8 , cooked, drained | ||
| Chives - to garnish, snipped | ||
Directions
MAKING
1 For the sauce, in a 1-1/2-quart casserole, combine butter or margarine, zucchini and green onion.
2 Microwave at 100% (HIGH) for 3 to 5 minutes or until barely tender.
3 Stir in pimento.
4 Blend in flour, celery salt and pepper.
5 Microwave at 100% (HIGH) for 30 seconds.
6 Whisk in milk.
7 Microwave at 100% (HIGH) for 5 to 7 minutes or until mixture thickens and bubbles; stir every 2 minutes.
8 Mixture should be thick and smooth.
9 Pour 1/2 of sauce into a 12" x 7" baking dish. Set aside the remaining sauce.
10 For the filling, in a medium bowl, beat egg.
11 Stir in cottage cheese, tuna, stuffing mix, olives, Parmesan cheese, parsley and chives. Mix well.
12 Spoon about 1/2 cup cottage-cheese mixture into each manicotti shell.
13 Place stuffed manicotti on top of sauce in baking dish.
14 Pour the remaining sauce over manicotti, coating all pasta.
15 Cover with vented plastic wrap.
16 Microwave at 50% (MEDIUM) for 20 to 25 minutes or until heated through, giving dish a half turn once.
17 At the end of cooking time, stir sauce and spoon over manicotti shells.
18 Let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.
SERVING
19 Garnish with additional chopped chives.
1 For the sauce, in a 1-1/2-quart casserole, combine butter or margarine, zucchini and green onion.
2 Microwave at 100% (HIGH) for 3 to 5 minutes or until barely tender.
3 Stir in pimento.
4 Blend in flour, celery salt and pepper.
5 Microwave at 100% (HIGH) for 30 seconds.
6 Whisk in milk.
7 Microwave at 100% (HIGH) for 5 to 7 minutes or until mixture thickens and bubbles; stir every 2 minutes.
8 Mixture should be thick and smooth.
9 Pour 1/2 of sauce into a 12" x 7" baking dish. Set aside the remaining sauce.
10 For the filling, in a medium bowl, beat egg.
11 Stir in cottage cheese, tuna, stuffing mix, olives, Parmesan cheese, parsley and chives. Mix well.
12 Spoon about 1/2 cup cottage-cheese mixture into each manicotti shell.
13 Place stuffed manicotti on top of sauce in baking dish.
14 Pour the remaining sauce over manicotti, coating all pasta.
15 Cover with vented plastic wrap.
16 Microwave at 50% (MEDIUM) for 20 to 25 minutes or until heated through, giving dish a half turn once.
17 At the end of cooking time, stir sauce and spoon over manicotti shells.
18 Let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.
SERVING
19 Garnish with additional chopped chives.
Chef
