spinach-ricotta manicotti

i think i've always had this perception that stuffed pastas were sooo fancy, and therefore, must take a LOT of time to make.
 

this is definitely not true! :)

thanks to this super-easy, super-fast recipe, i made stuffed pasta for my 1st time tonight (and oh baby, was it good!) :) :) :)

Spinach-ricotta Manicotti with Vodka Sauce

ingredients:

• 8 manicotti pasta shells
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• one 15-ounce container ricotta cheese (I used lowfat!)
• 1/2 cup grated Parm
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (choose your measurements; make it how you like it)
• one 10-ounce package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed **dry**
• 2 cups whatever red pasta sauce you like (NOTE: I used Vodka Sauce and it was UHH.MAY.ZING)
• more Parm on the top, before you stick it in the oven (perhaps 1/2 cup?)

***Confessions*** ***Read before starting............. :)

*the "olive oil" is totally just for greasin' up your baking pan. I totally skipped this and used "Pam" to spray my dish

*i NEVER use the green plastic can of "Kraft: Grated Parmesan cheese" when I cook--- I always, always, always use REAL Parmeggiano-Reggiano from ITALY. However..... this recipe called for a LOT and I knew Parm didn't have to be the front-runnin' show-stopper of the dish. SO, being on a *budget*!!... I broke down and bought the can o' kraft. PLEASE don't be offended by my soap-box statements if you normally use this for your Parm... i just lived in Italy for 2 years and it's hard for me to use that green can for everyday sprinkling purposes when the real stuff is so DIVINE.  but for this recipe, the green can is PERFECT. ;)

*with the red sauce-- i DID use Vodka Sauce. Emeril Lagasse's Vodka Sauce from the grocery store, actually. ...AND to be honest- I only had about half a jar left in the fridge----- SO i had a tiny 8-ounce can of plain Tomato Sauce that I mixed with the leftover Vodka Sauce... and VOILA---- **the perfect** sauce to brighten up the spinachy-cheesy manicotti. :)

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a large pot of boiling *salted* water, cook pasta shells according to package instructions (mine were Barilla brand, I cooked them for 7 minutes! PERFECT).  

While the pasta is cooking, in a medium bowl, combine ricotta, 1/2 cup Parm, and lemon zest. Stir in spinach (that was squeezed dry!!!) and add salt & pepper (to taste!). Carefully scoop filling to a quart-sized plastic bag. Twist and squeeze bag so filling is in one corner, and snip a hole in one of the corners (probably 3/4 to 1 inch).

 

When your pasta timer goes off (again, mine was only 7 minutes-- even *before* al dente *but* this was because they finish cooking in the oven) :) ... drain the pasta well and arrange in a single layer in a baking dish (I used one that was probably... 9" x 10"? something weird like that but it was the PERFECT size-- you could use a square pan and it'd probably be great!) 
 

Pipe filling into both ends of each pasta shell. (You might have to get your fingers in there to help it along! And if you notice that the hole in your bag is too small for some of the larger spinach pieces to pass through--- just make it a little bigger!) :) Put the stuffed shells back in your baking dish, until all are filled.
 

Pour whatever red sauce you are using evenly over the manicotti and top with more Parm (I just sprinkled mine from the jar... Martha Stewart suggests 1/2 cup.).  Bake until sauce in center of dish is bubbling and Parmesan is browned in spots, about 30 minutes.  Let sit 5 minutes before serving.

BUON APPETITO!!!! it's WONDERFUL! <3 :)

source: Martha :)