Beef & Cheese Manicotti

This recipe comes from the Everyday Italian show on the Food Network. Very simple to make and very tasty. This is great to make for a crowd or just cut the recipe in half if you want less. This recipe uses a 13x9 pan but I had to use a 13x9 and also an 8x8.

• Ready In: 1 hr 10 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 4  teaspoons olive oil
• 1  medium onion, coarsely chopped
• 1  lb ground beef
•  salt & pepper
• 14  manicotti, noodles
• 1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese
• 3  cups  shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1  cup parmesan cheese
• 2  tablespoons parsley
• 2  garlic cloves, minced
• 3  cups  spaghetti sauce
• 2  tablespoons butter, cut into pieces

Directions

1. Heat a heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tsp olive oil, onion and ground beef. Season with salt & pepper. Sauté until the meat browns and the onion is translucent. Remove from the heat and cool.
2. Brush 1 tsp oil over a large baking sheet. Cook the manicotti in a large pot of boiling salted water until slightly softened but still very firm to the bite, about 4-6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer manicotti from the pot to the oiled baking sheet and cool.
3. Meanwhile, combine the ricotta, 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, 1/2 cup Parmesan and parsley. Add the garlic, salt and pepper to taste, mix. Stir the cooled meat mixture into the cheese mixture.
4. Preheat oven to 350°F.
5. Brush the remaining 2 tsp of oil over a 13 x 9 by 2 inch glass baking dish. Spoon 1 1/2 cups of the spaghetti sauce over the bottom of the prepared dish. Fill the manicotti with the cheese-meat mixture. Arrange the stuffed pasta in a single layer in the dish and spoon the remaining sauce over.
6. Sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, then the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan over the stuffed pasta. Dot entire dish with the butter pieces. Bake the manicotti until heated through and the sauce bubbles on the sides of the dish, about 30-35 minutes. Let the manicotti stand for 5 minutes and serve.