COOKBOOK: Perfect Pasta & Sauces
Manicotti in Italian means ‘little sleeves’ , which in this dish it represents very large pasta tubes intended to be stuffed and baked. I’ve always found this to be super fiddly so I’m going to show you a different method which is just as delicious and super easy to make.
This recipe is for those who are craving Italian pasta with a Greek flavour, and it won’t disappoint.
When you try this method, you won’t go back to filling manicotti ever again!
Enjoy
RECIPE
Serves 4
Olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves or garlic, chopped
680g of beef mince 1/2 cup sliced black olives
1 cup feta cheese, chopped or crumbed
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 cup tomato pasta sauce + 3 extra cup
Salt & pepper
2 tablespoons of sun dried pesto
1 tablespoon marjoram , chopped fresh or dried
1 tablespoon oregano, chopped fresh or dried
4 1 tablespoon basil , chopped fresh or dried (in extra pasta sauce)
6 fresh lasagna sheets (approx 15 x 20cm)
2 cups mozzarella grated cheese
Preheat oven on 180C
Heat olive oil in a deep frying pan. Add onion and garlic and fry until onion is just soft. Add mince and mix well. Allow the mince to slightly cook and add salt & pepper, sun dried pesto, black olives, lemon zest and 1 cup tomato pasta sauce. Mix well. Add the marjoram & oregano and feta cheese. Combine well and remove from heat.
Take a spoonful of mince mixture and cover the base of a baking dish (20x20cm).
Place a sheet of lasagna on a flat surface. Place two spoonfuls along one of the edges (narrow edge) and carefully roll the lasagna sheet to form a log. Ensure that the sheet is rolled 1 1/2 -2 times around. Cut off any excess pasta. Carefully place the pasta rolls in the prepared dish. Repeat. Take the extra pasta tomato sauce and add the chopped basil. Combine well. Pour evenly over the pasta rolls. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the dish and bake in oven for approx 35-40mins. NOTE: if rapidly browning after 20mins, cover dish with foil and allow it to cook for a further 15mins on a slightly lower heat (170C)
