This is my friend Devon’s marvelous baked manicotti recipe. The homemade crepes are what make this classic dish so delicious!
Flashback
This is my friend Devon’s marvelous baked manicotti recipe. After we first became friends, she made these delish manicotti for me and I was so enamored with this dish, that I wanted to taste it again, and again, and again.
I used to not be a fan of manicotti. The reason was because I had only eaten store bought manicotti pasta. To me, the manicotti shells were either undercooked or overcooked, not reaching their full potential.
But they can’t compete with Devon’s delish, homemade version.
Just imagine soft, squishy crepes rolled up with ricotta cheese, spices, mozzarella and parmesan.
Yum, right?
Trust me on this one!
Doesn’t the thought of them make you want to run out to the store for the ingredients so you can have your very own delicious manicotti? You can even pretend that my friend Devon made them for you.
On to Devon’s Baked Manicotti recipe
To start
You want to take out the eggs at least an hour before you begin this recipe. You want them to be room temperature.
Fast forward an hour.
Crepe Preparation Time
I grab my medium mixing bowl and add the eggs, flour and salt. I use a whisk to combine them all together but if you are so inclined, you can use a hand mixer.
Time to let the mixture rest for a half hour or more.
As I’m waiting patiently for the eggs to rest, I started to put together the ricotta filling.
I grab another medium mixing bowl, some ricotta cheese, cubed fresh mozzarella, parmesan cheese, an egg, salt, pepper and dried parsley (you can also use chopped fresh parsley, but I chose to use dried).
I plop all the above ingredients in the mixing bowl and mix them with a rubber spatula.
Oooooo!
I want to grab a spoon, dig in and chomp, chomp, CHOMP!
But I won’t because I need this filling for the manicotti. See?! Such restraint I’m exhibiting! I’m so proud of me!
Crepe Making Time
Here’s a photo of the rested egg mixture. It thickened up quite nicely.
I grab my heavy sauté pan and heat it on medium.
I spray a little PAM into the pan and start ladling 3 tablespoons worth of batter into the heated pan.
I swirl the pan around to spread the batter and stand over it while it cooks. I know that each crepe is done when the top is dry but the bottom is not browned. I place the crepes on parchment paper-lined wire racks.
Below are some of the crepes. I used my beloved sprouted spelt flour, which gives them a brownish color. If you use all purpose white flour, they will be whiter (obviously, hehe).
See how the sides are not perfectly round, but have little hooks off them? No worries! You won’t be able to see the edges at all after you roll and dress the manicotti, so don’t stress!
I keep making crepes until the batter is gone. This recipe makes 12 crepes.
Assembling and Baking the Manicotti
I preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
I take out the gravy I made the previous day, in preparation for this recipe. (Note, I didn’t put beef in this version of the gravy – it’s veggie all the way.) If you don’t feel like making the gravy yourself, you can always use store bought spaghetti sauce.
I’m not one to scorn the conveniences; I simply prefer homemade if I have the time to make it.
I scoop some gravy and spread it out on the bottom of my baking dishes. You’ll need a couple of baking dishes because you do not want to stack the manicottis.
Mmmm. Look at that chunkiness!
Next, I lay out my crepe-laden parchment paper on a work area and I spoon the ricotta mixture among all the crepes at the same time.
One of the reasons I recommend doling out the ricotta in this way is because if you don’t, you will either use it all up before you reach the last crepe or you will use too little and have some leftover. And we can’t have that!
Wahoo!
Do other people get excited about preparing food and getting closer to when you eat it?
Leave me a comment if you get excited like I do!
Time to roll up the crepes and place them seam side down in the baking dishes.
That’s a good start.
But it’s not enough!
Time to ladle gravy on top of these cute little rolls.
Be liberal with the gravy.
Next I grab some shredded mozzarella cheese and sprinkle it on top of the gravy.
Repeat this process until all the manicotti are assembled and dressed for baking.
Baked Manicotti Perfection
Now it’s time to pop them into the oven. You are going to bake the manicotti uncovered for 30 minutes or until the gravy is bubbly and the mozzarella is melted.
DONE!
Time to serve it.
I take a metal spatula (thin and flexible is ideal), ease it between two manicottis and scoop them out onto the plate. I consider two manicottis to be a single serving.
Just a note: these manicottis are soft so it’s easy to accidentally cut into one with the spatula.
I mention this because I did it with the plate below. You can see the piece I cut into. I left it in the shot because life is not perfect and neither are manicotti!
Christopher is standing behind me looking over my shoulder. His silence speaks volumes.
Me: “Yes! You can take the bite out of it!”
Him: *Snatches the fork from my hand.*
I’m a nice wifey!
Mostly. 🙂
Yum!
I hope you enjoyed this baked manicotti recipe!
Feel free to Pin any photo to Pinterest or Yum the recipe to Yummly.
And leave me a comment! I love hearing from my readers.
As always, may all your dishes be delish!
Devon's Marvelous Manicotti
Ingredients
Crepe Batter
- 3 eggs room temperature
- 3/4 cup spelt flour or all purpose white flour
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Ricotta Filling
- 1 pound ricotta cheese I use full fat
- 4 ounces fresh mozzarella cubed
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
Extras
- 2 cups homemade gravy or store bought spaghetti sauce
- 2 ounces shredded mozzarella
Instructions
Batter
- Take out the eggs an hour before you plan to use them
- In a medium bowl, add the eggs, flour and salt
- Whisk together or use a hand mixer until incorporated
- Let batter rest for a half hour
Filling
- In a medium bowl add ricotta cheese, diced mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, egg, salt, pepper and parsley
- Mix with rubber spatula
- Set aside
Making the Crepes
- Heat a crepe pan or a sauté pan on medium heat
- Spray a little pam in the pan
- Ladle 3 tablespoons of batter into the pan and swirl it around to spread the batter
- Cook until top is dry but the bottom is not brown
- Place finished crepe on parchment paper on a wire rack to cool
- Repeat until batter is all gone
Assembling and Baking
- Preheat oven 350 F
- Ladle some gravy and cover the bottom of some baking dishes (I use a 13 x 9 and a bread pan)
- Lay out all the crepes and spoon some ricotta mixture on each one, using all the filling
- Roll the crepes and place them seam side down on the gravy
- Repeat until all the crepes are rolled
- Liberally ladle some gravy on top of the manicottis
- Sprinkle some shredded mozzarella on the manicottis
- Pop the baking pans into the oven and bake uncovered for 30 minutes until bubbly and the cheese is melted
- Remove from oven
- Carefully separate the manicottis into sets of 2
- Plate
- Use your fork to cut into your manicottis
- Bring fork to mouth
- Moan
- Enjoy
- Smile
These are delish!! I haven’t made them in awhile, but you may have just inspired me to make them again. They’ve always been a hit at family gatherings and I have one coming up soon.
Dev,
YAY! I’m so glad. Wish I were there to gobble them up!
xo,
Lainey