I was blown away by this manicotti recipe the first time I made it. And the second time, which was less than a month later.
What makes it such a stand out recipe? Two things. The use of wine in the sauce and crispy top each cheese-covered shell gets thanks to a couple minutes under the broiler. Ohmygoodness, you will not miss the usual ricotta or tomato sauce.
The stuffing is made of a combination of hot italian sausage and ground beef mixed with a can of diced tomatoes and shredded mozzarella cheese. I will admit to using my fingers to stuff each manicotti shell. They’re so delicate and using a spoon often causes the shells to tear. As you can see, I had extra stuffing left over after all 14 shells were stuffed, so I just sprinkled it on top – why not?!
The sauce is made of white wine, heavy cream and Italian seasonings. I suppose you could make it as thick as you like, but my personal preference is to keep it on the thinner side. For comparison, thinner than an alfredo sauce.
The wine sauce isn’t poured over the manicotti until the last 10 minutes of baking. In addition, 3/4 of a cup of shredded parmesan cheese is added. With two minutes left, the broiler is turned on and a wonderful crunch is added to the top of each manicotti shell.
This twist on a classic italian dish is creamy and full of great textures. Serve with a veggie, salad and great loaf of bread for a hearty, company-worthy, dinner! Enjoy and let me know what you think!
Manicotti, Untraditional.
Source: Southern Living
1 (8 oz.) package uncooked manicotti shells
1/2 pound hot Italian sausage
1/2 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cups whipping cream
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano, drained
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Cook pasta according to package directions (about 7 minutes for al dente pasta).
Rinse the past in cold water, drain, and place in a single layer on a wire rack.
Remove casings from sausage, and discard. Cook sausage, ground beef, and onion in a large skillet.
Stir until the meat crumbles and is no longer pink.
Drain the grease, place the mixture in a large bowl, and set aside.
Add wine to skillet, stirring to loosen browned bits; bring to a boil.
Add whipping cream and next 3 ingredients; reduce heat, and simmer, stirring often, 15 minutes or until thickened a bit.
Remove from heat; cover and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Combine meat mixture, tomatoes, and mozzarella cheese.
Carefully spoon (or use your hands) mixture evenly into 12-14 manicotti shells.
Arrange shells in a lightly greased 13″ x 9″ baking dish.
Cover the baking dish and bake for 20 minutes.
Uncover and pour cream mixture evenly over shells; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Bake, uncovered, for 10 more minutes. Broil, 5 1/2 inches from heat, 2 to 3 minutes or until cheese is lightly browned.
