Spinach & Ricotta Stuffed Manicotti

There is something about pasta, it's a comfort food all on its own.  Add in pasta StUfFeD with fresh ricotta and spinach, and it amps up your meal that much more.  This time I paired my pasta with a light and creamy Swiss cheese based white sauce.  Swiss and spinach go so well together, add in a pinch of nutmeg to this dish and you turn the ordinary into extra-ordinary.  Serve as great main course {or even use as a side dish}.  If I serve this with grilled chicken, I make sure to have a bit more sauce to serve with the chicken if people prefer...~Enjoy! Diane 


Spinach & Ricotta Stuffed Manicotti {in Swiss Cream Sauce} 

Ingredients: 
10-12 Manicotti pasta tubes, cooked according to package
1-2 Tbs Butter, melted 
*pastry bag or quart sized plastic bag
 
Filling:
1 10oz package of frozen Spinach, thawed & drained
1 cup Ricotta cheese 
1 egg
6 Tbs grated Parmesan cheese 
pinch of Nutmeg
1/8 tsp Salt
1/8 tsp Pepper 

Cheese Sauce:
2 Tbs Butter
2 Tbs Flour
2 Cups Milk, warmed 
3/4 Cup shredded Swiss cheese
Salt & Pepper to taste 
pinch of Nutmeg



Directions: 
     Preheat oven to 350.
     Grease a 9x13 baking dish with melted butter. Set dish aside. Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook Manicotti tubes according to package instructions or until nearly tender, remove and set on a plate to cool.  For the filling, place all filling ingredients except for the egg into a food processor. Pulse ingredients until well combined, then add in the egg and pulse again until it's a smooth paste.  I use a quart plastic bag and fill the bag with all the filling mixture, then smooth/smoosh all the filling down into one lower corner of a quart sized plastic bag, twisting bag at the top to create a homemade pastry bag.  Snip off the lower corner and use to fill each tube of pasta. ((I fill a bit into each end of the pasta)) Place each filled tube into the baking dish. For the sauce, combine the flour and butter in a sauce pan, stirring until browned and smelling slightly nutty.  Slowly add in the warmed milk, until mixture has thickened, lower heat and stir in the shredded cheese and nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste.  Spoon the cheese sauce over the filled manicotti.  Cover the dish with foil and bake for 25-30 minutes. 




Recipe and Photos by: Diane Baker for Canning and Cooking at Home