A comforting, hearty dish filled with creamy ricotta and nestled in a aromatic tomato basil sauce, this Ricotta Stuffed Manicotti prepares itself as the perfect weeknight meal. The rich combination of savory cheeses and the tangy tomato sauce is guaranteed to satisfy your Italian cuisine cravings.
Boil the manicotti pasta in a large pot of salted water until slightly less than al dente, about 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
FOR THE TOMATO BASIL SAUCE
3
In a large skillet, heat the extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat.
4
Add the finely chopped onion and cook until it's soft and translucent, which should take about 6 minutes.
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Stir in the minced garlic and tomato paste, and cook for 2 more minutes until the garlic is aromatic and the tomato paste has darkened.
6
Add the crushed tomatoes including their juice, the dried oregano, a half teaspoon of kosher salt, and a 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
FOR THE RICOTTA FILLING
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In a large bowl, stir together the ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup of mozzarella, 1/4 cup of Parmesan, the freshly chopped basil leaves, and the zest of 1/2 a lemon.
8
Season the filling with the remaining kosher salt and black pepper.
FINISH WITH
9
Spread a layer of the tomato basil sauce on the bottom of a large baking dish.
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Stuff each manicotti with the ricotta filling and arrange them side by side in the baking dish.
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Pour the remaining tomato basil sauce evenly over the stuffed manicotti.
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Top the dish with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.
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Bake the dish in the preheated oven until the cheese is melted and bubbly, which should take about 20 minutes.
14
Garnish the finished dish with additional fresh basil and serve hot.