Do I need to precook manicotti?

The friendliest place on the web for anyone that enjoys cooking.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

danpeikes

Senior Cook
Joined
Jul 3, 2007
Messages
333
Location
Chicago
I am looking to do a ground beef stuffed manicotti. Going to sautee the beef with the some veggies and cover the manicotti with a tomato based sauce. My question is do I need to boil the manicotti before I stuff it, or can I just let it cook in the oven with the tomato sauce and with moister from the meat? I know my mother makes lasagnia witthout precooking the noodles by adding some additional water and cooking it covered. Can I do something like that with manicotti?
 
I like to stuff my uncooked manicotti with a combination mixture of ground beef, onion, cheese, and sauce, all blended together under heat. I then lift one end to my lips and blow hard, making sure to point the pasta tube at my cat.:devilish:

I don't reqally do that; but it would be fun. I do cook my manicotti, but not to the al dente stage. It breaks too easily when it is fully cooked. I do use the combo stuffing though. And sometimes, I add minced mushrooms as well. I then top it with a slightly watery sauce and more cheese. Then, cover the pan sith foil and cook for thirty minutes.

Btu partially cooking the pasta, I find that I can control the sauce thickeness better than if I use completely uncooked manicotti tubes. I also over-spice the sauce as the substantial flavor of the noodle will drown the herbs and spices of the sauce you would make for spaghetti. Also, the cheese dilutes the herb/spice flavor as well.

Seeeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North
 
The easiest way I ever made manicotti was to use Barilla precooked lasagna noodles. I just soaked them in hot water until they were pliable, then put the filling on one side and rolled it up. It was brilliant!
 
italians make manicotti with crepes (not pasta tubes). put cheese filling on crepe and roll like a soft taco place in pan. cover with sauce and cheese bake.
 
When I make manicotti, I boil my tubes until they are half done. Then they are still malleable but they will not break, and you don't need as much liquid to cook. I stuff mine sometimes with italian sausage and ricotta, eggs, and some italian spices. Delicious!
 
I use the fresh lasagne sheets as well for manicotti and canneloni. It's much easier than dealing with the dreaded pasta tubes and I always have perfectly rolled and stuffed manicotti/canneloni
 
Back
Top Bottom