A Successful Manicotti by Wolf

Another from Doug:


Ingredients:
For the sauce:
4 T. olive oil
1 medium eggplant, peeled and diced small
1 red pepper, seeded and diced fine
1 small onion, peeled and diced fine
4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped fine
1 T. salt
fresh ground black pepper
1 T. dried basil
1 24-ounce can of Italian tomato puree
1 small can Italian crushed tomatoes
For the Filling:
1 pound whole milk ricotta
2 c. grated mozzarella
½ c. grated Parmesan cheese
½ c. basil pesto (optional)
4 T. chopped flat leaf parsley
salt and pepper to taste
2 eggs
For the Pasta:
8-ounce box (14) manicotti shells, boiled in salted water for about 5 minutes or until VERY al dente,
drained and rinsed under cold water.
Method:
In a large sauce pan over high heat, saute the eggplant and peppers in the olive oil, stirring only
occasionally as the eggplant and peppers get nice and brown and very soft. Add the onions and
garlic, salt and pepper and cook until the onions are very soft and aromatic. Add the basil and
tomato puree and crushed tomatoes to the pan and reduce heat to low, bringing to just a simmer. Stir
occasionally and simmer for half an hour.
Preheat Wolf Electric Oven to 350 degrees F. in the Convection Bake Mode.
Meanwhile, boil the pasta.
For the filling, reserve 1 c. of the grated mozzarella and set aside to top the manicotti. Combine all
the ingredients for the filling in a work bowl and mix together. Place into a pastry bag and pipe into
the manicotti.
Place about two-thirds of the sauce on the bottom of a large baking dish that has been coated with a
little olive oil and lay the filled manicotti on top of the sauce. Place the remaining sauce on top of the
manicotti, then top with the remaining cheese. Cover with foil and place on the fifth rack position in
the preheated oven. Set timer for 50 minutes. After 50 minutes, remove from oven and very carefully
remove foil. Set the oven to the Broil Mode and place the pan on a rack in the fifth position. Broil for
5 minutes or until the cheese is nice and brown. Serve right away.
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