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Manicotti

Growing up, our most important family celebrations, including most holidays, typically included Manicotti made with crepes. The tender shell and luscious filling are a delicious combination. We traditionally had them with a ricotta cheese filling, but a meat filling is also a nice way to please a carnivorous crowd.
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Ingredients
  

For making the crepes (makes approximately 7-9 depending on your pan)

  • ½ cup milk
  • ½ cup flour
  • 3 eggs
  • ½ tsp salt

For the meat filling

  • 1 lb. ground beef 85% lean
  • 1 lb. ricotta cheese
  • 1 egg
  • ¼ cup Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano
  • 3 tbs chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

For the cheese filling

  • 1 lb. Ricotta
  • 1 egg
  • 3 tbs chopped parsley
  • ¼ cup Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp pepper

Assembling the crepes

  • ¼ lb. mozzarella
  • 2 cups tomato sauce
  • 2 tbs olive oil or butter

Instructions
 

To make the crepes

  • Mix the eggs, flour, salt, and milk together in a medium-sized mixing bowl using a wire whisk. Let stand for ½ hour. Pour the mixture through a fine wire sieve and remove any lumps. Transfer the batter into a liquid measuring cup.
  • Bring an 8-inch crepe pan or other non-stick sauté pan to temperature – about medium heat – and melt ½ tbs butter and swirl it around to evenly coat the surface (a pastry brush is handy for this step to move the butter around the pan’s surface).
  • Pour enough batter into the pan to coat the bottom and a bit up the sides. You will have to lift the pan and turn it in your hand to move the batter around the pan. Crepe making is an art! Practice makes perfect!
  • When the crepe begins to brown on the edges (1 to 2 minutes depending on your pan and temperature) use a spatula to lift an edge so you can slide the spatula under the crepe and then using your fingers lift the crepe up and drop it down on the uncooked side to finish. About thirty seconds should do it. Lift the crepe again and place it on a dish. You can stack the finished crepes. They do not stick together.

Making the meat filling

  • Cook the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat. Do not brown. Once cooked through, use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked beef into a large mixing bowl. Discard the fat left in the skillet.
  • Add the remaining ingredients and mix vigorously to evenly distribute the ingredients.

For the Cheese Filling

  • Combine the ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and mix vigorously to evenly distribute the ingredients.

Assembling the Manicotti

  • Lay the crepes out on a flat surface. Putting all the crepes out at once helps you distribute the filling evenly.
  • Place some filling in each crepe.
  • Cut strips of mozzarella and place one strip across the top of the filling on each crepe.
  • Roll the crepes and transfer to a dish that has been coated with a tomato sauce and a few tablespoons of olive oil (or melted butter).
  • Spoon some tomato sauce over each crepe and drizzle with olive oil.
  • Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes at 375 degrees. Serve hot from the oven.

Notes

If you are serving the cheese-filled crepes, pair them with a vegetarian tomato sauce for your vegetarian guests.