Homemade Manicotti
A couple years ago, I order manicotti at a local Italian restaurant, and was surprised by what I got. Instead of ricotta cheese stuffed into a pasta shell, this was fresh crepes, filled with cheese, spinach, and garlic. It was wonderful, and I always said I 
was going to try to make it someday. I came across a recipe for crepes the other day, which made me think of the manicotti and how good it was. This is the recipe I put together to recreate it.
I started with the sauce, keeping it simple and fresh. First, I sauteed onions and garlic until they were soft, and then added crushed tomatoes. To that, I added oregano, basil, a bay leaf, salt, and a pinch of sugar. I let it simmer while I made the crepes, about a half hour. This could be made days in advance though and kept refrigerated.
Next, I mixed together the batter for the crepes. I used a mixture of all-purpose and whole wheat flour, just to add a little more flavor and texture. To the flours, I added salt, eggs, milk, and melted butter, and whisked until the batter was smooth. Crepe batter is very thin, similar to heavy cream, so be sure to add enough milk to get the consistency right. It’s also best to let the batter set for about a half hour before making the crepes to let the flour absorb all the moisture.>>
While the crepe batter was resting, I thawed some frozen spinach and then squeezed as much water from it as a could. I placed the spinach in a bowl with ricotta cheese, Havarti cheese, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and parsley. Havarti cheese has a wonderful sweet and nutty taste, plus it melts really well, so it was perfect for this filling. I set the filling aside, and started making the crepes.
Contrary to popular belief, one does not need a crepe pan in order to make crepes. A simple 8-inch nonstick skillet will do the trick. I rubbed the hot skillet with a little butter and then added just enough crepe batter to cover the bottom, tilting the skillet to help the batter along. It only takes 30 to 60 seconds for the crepe to be done, just until the are dry on top. They don’t need to be flipped, just transferred to some wax paper. I stacked to the crepes between layers of wax paper while I made the rest. I use all the batter and store the extra crepes for other uses. They are great for everything from breakfast tortillas (scrambled eggs, cheese, and salsa wrapped in a crepe) to dessert (sliced bananas and nutella wrapped in a crepe).
Once all the crepes were made, I added about a 1/4 cup of the filling to each crepe, rolled them up, and placed them in the bottom of a baking dish covered with some of the marinara sauce. Since I was making these for myself, it was the perfect time to pull out my Le Creuset mini baking dish, which fit two crepes perfectly. Once the crepes were in the dish, I covered them with more sauce and Parmesan cheese. I baked them in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes (because of the smaller dish), until the sauce was bubbly. It’s best to let the crepes cool for 5 minutes or so to let the cheese set up.
I was so excited to take a bite of the manicotti, and the first bite definitely didn’t disappoint. Replacing a heavy pasta shell with a delicate crepe makes this manicotti incredible. The filling has a complexity of flavors from the various cheeses, plus some added flavor from the spinach and spices. I’m sure I could go on and on about how much I loved it, but you will just have to try it for yourself. It’s worth the effort, trust me!
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