Homemade Baked Manicotti

This dish is decadent and really makes your guests (or just you) feel special. The great part is that this dish is one of the easiest to make! Just make some of your favorite sauce and follow this recipe and you're all set!

Ingredients:

- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 3 eggs
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 1 cup sun dried tomatoes, packed in olive oil, chopped
- Sauce (your favorite recipe or My Ultimate Sauce Recipe)
- salt
- olive oil
- Fresh Basil
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 tbsp. dried basil
- 1 tbsp. dried oregano
- 1 tbsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
- pasta machine
- rolling pin

To Make:

Pre-heat oven to 365


clean a large surface and dust with flour. Take 2 cups of flour and arrange in the center. Dig out the middle to form a well with high walls. Crack 3 eggs into the center of the well. Season with salt and drizzle with olive oil. Using a fork, gently begin beating the eggs in the middle and slowly begin incorporating the flour into the eggs. Do not break the well. When the dough begins forming, use your hands to knead the rest of the flour into the mix. Knead for 5-6 minutes, then form into a ball and cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 10 minutes.

In the meantime, in a large pan, saute the diced onions, garlic and sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil for 5 minutes. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together all three cheeses, add in the sauteed garlic, onion and tomato mixture then add the spices: dried oregano, dried basil, garlic power, pepper, season with salt and the crushed red pepper flakes.

Mix well.

Next, set up the pasta machine. Unroll the dough and cut into 4 sections. Roll out with the rolling pin and try to form long rectangles. Cut the dough to make these shapes before passing through the pasta machine. Run the dough through the pasta machine all the way to the last setting. Then cut the long strip in half or in threes depending on how long it comes out.

Continue this process with all the dough until you have several pieces of rectangular shaped pieces roughly 8-10 inches long. 

Place the cheese mixture longways down one side of the pasta. Roll the pasta up and set fold side down. Continue until all is done.

In a large baking dish, arrange a thick layer of sauce on the bottom. Gently place the manicotti in the dish. Spoon sauce over top covering the manicotti. The sauce will cook the pasta in the oven.

Cover with tin foil and bake for 34-40 minutes.

Cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. Then serve with fresh basil over top.

Pasta Balls

I can't really take credit for this dish because it was my dad who created it. He's been talking about these things since he first tasted them 25 years ago. He described the ingredients and the concept to my mom and I and we decided to test them out. They turned out great and he was so thrilled. Try these pasta balls today, you will love them!

In order to get them perfectly fried and not greasy, you will need a deep-fryer. It's worth it.

 Ingredients:
- 1 lb spaghetti
- 2 pounds ricotta cheese
- 2 cups freshly grated mozzarella
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
- olive oil
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- garlic powder
- salt
- pepper
- marinara sauce
- vegetable oil
- bread crumbs - Italian style
- freshly chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley
- freshly chopped basil

To Make:

Start by boiling a large pot of salted water. When the water is boiling, add the pasta and cook according the the package directions, making sure to keep the pasta al-dente.

In the meantime, mix together the ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese and 3 eggs. Season liberally with salt and pepper and add in 2 handfulls of freshly chopped parsely and garlic powder.

In a small saute pan, saute the onions and garlic in olive oil for a few minutes until tender. Mix them into the cheese mixture.

Once the pasta is done, drain and transfer to a large serving platter. Drizzle with olive oil to prevent sticking, then with a large knife and fork, cut the pasta into 2-3 inch pieces. Mix the pasta into the cheese mixture.

Now the mixture is ready to form into balls. Wash your hands and remove any rings. Begin forming the mixture into balls, about the size of a medium meatball. Roll the balls into the Italian style bread crumbs and set aside.

Deep fry them when you're ready to serve because then they'll stay fresh. Once they are deep fried serve on a bed of marinara sauce and top with fresh basil. You can also sprinkle with cheese if preferred. They'll make any occasion special :-D

Shrimp, Tomato & Basil Pasta

This dish is great because you can make a lot of it and it keeps very well for a few days. Or invite several friends and family over and you have a meal that won't disappoint. Best of all, it's a fairly simple recipe, but the flavors are complex and delicious.

Ingredients:
- 1 pound spaghetti or angel hair
- 1.5 pounds shrimp, peeled, uncooked
- 6 fresh Roma tomatoes, chopped (seeds removed)
- 12 basil leaves, chopped
- 12 garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
- 1 small onion, diced
- olive oil
- 1/2 cup feta cheese
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
- crushed red pepper
- salt
- pepper
- garlic powder

To Make:
Begin by boiling your pasta according to the package, depending on which type you choose will determine the cooking time. Remember to always salt the water and always cook your pasta al-dente (firm to the bite).

In the meantime, in the biggest saute pan you have, drizzle heavily with olive oil and begin sauteing the onions and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. After about 5 minutes, add in the shrimp and season those with salt and pepper and garlic powder. Saute the shrimp until they are almost done. While the shrimp are cooking, add in the fresh tomatoes and half of the chopped basil leaves. Season the tomatoes with salt, pepper, 1 tablespoon of crushed red pepper and add about a half cup more of olive oil. (You are building the sauce right now and it needs to be enough to stand up to the pasta)

Add in the feta and Parmesan cheeses. Once the pasta is cooked, do not drain it, take it out of the water with tongs and place it directly into the saute pan. This also helps to create a fantastic sauce and helps all of the flavors to bind to the pasta. Scoop 2 scoops of the pasta water into the saute pan. Mix together, and cover with a lid for about 1 minute.

Empty into a large pasta bowl and allow the sauce and shrimp to fall right over top of the pasta so it can sink down through out. Top with fresh basil and extra Parmesan cheese.

Serve while hot.