Manicotti with Baby Bella Mushrooms

Unless you have a source for gluten-free manicotti noodles (there are some on the market), then this recipe is not gluten-free. And it isn’t lactose-free as it uses both ricotta and mozzarella cheese, which are soft cheeses. It’s just plain delicious, however and a family favorite at our house. Serve with garlic bread, a Caesar salad, and red wine to enter bliss!

Ingredients

16 oz. manicotti noodles (about 16 noodles come in a box)
24 oz. tomato sauce
16 oz. grated mozzarella cheese
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese (for the top)
¾ cup ricotta cheese
2 eggs
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. finely chopped baby Portobello mushrooms
1-2 tbsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
½ cup finely chopped fresh basil (or 2 tbsp. dried basil but the dried is not nearly as good as the fresh)
2 tbsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. black pepper
salt to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°. Boil the manicotti noodles until done al dente (follow the directions on the package). Put a dash of olive oil in the water to help prevent the manicotti noodles from sticking together and run cold water over them right away when you drain them to keep them from getting gummy. You want them to be as firm as possible because you are going to have to stuff them with the other ingredients.

Chop the mushrooms and sauté them in olive oil for about 3-5 minutes, until soft. Add the chopped basil for the last minute or two to wilt it. Beat the eggs and combine them with the ricotta cheese and most of the grated mozzarella. Keep about ½ cup of mozzarella out to sprinkle on the top. Add the herbs/spices to the egg and cheese mixture. Add the mushrooms and basil to the egg and cheese mixture and blend together well.

Grease the baking dish with a little olive oil and then put in just enough tomato sauce to cover the bottom. Now comes the hard part. With a teaspoon, gently fill each manicotti noodle with the filling mixture. Place the stuffed noodles into the baking dish. If they tear while you are working with them, not to worry, just fill them with the filling mixture anyway and place them in the baking dish. When you have stuffed all the noodles and placed them in the baking dish, cover them with the rest of the tomato sauce. Then sprinkle the top with the mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese reserved for this purpose.

Cover the dish with foil and bake at 350° for 40 minutes, then uncover and bake uncovered for another 15-20 minutes.

Eat well, be well, live deliciously!