Manicotti Alla Romana

Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 50 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 lb ground beef (i use venison)
• 1/2 lb ground lamb
• 1 teaspoon salt (to taste)
• 1 teaspoon italian seasoning
• 1 lb frozen chopped spinach, thawed
• 2 cups cottage cheese
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped or 2 tablespoons parsley, dried
• 12 ounces manicotti
• 3 cups spaghetti sauce, divided (i make my own or use prego)
• 2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup romano cheese, grated

Recipe

• 1 to prepare the filling: saute onions in oil over medium heat until soft. add garlic, saute 1 minute. remove from pan to a large bowl. brown meat in same skillet; season with salt and italian seasoning. drain and cool.
• 2 cook spinach in microwave, covered, with a little water for 2-3 minutes. drain well and add to the bowl with onions, along with the eggs, cottage cheese and meat. mix well.
• 3 to prepare the sauce: melt the butter in a saucepan over medium low heat. whisk in the flour and bouillon granules till lumps are gone. slowly add the half and half. bring to a simmer, stirring constantly until thickened. remove from heat and stir in parsley.
• 4 cook manicotti shells in boiling salted water for half the time indicated on package (5 minutes.) drain and cover with a damp towel to prevent shells from drying and cracking.
• 5 spread 1/2 cup spaghetti sauce in the bottom of a 10x14 baking dish.
• 6 gently stuff the manicotti with meat mixture, placing in baking dish. keep the manicotti covered while working.
• 7 spoon the sauce evenly over the manicotti.
• 8 spoon the remaining red sauce over the sauce, being careful not to mix the two.
• 9 cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.
• 10 sprinkle the mozzarella and romano cheeses on top and bake, uncovered, 10 more minutes or till cheese is melted.