Manicotti and Chianti... That's Amore!

This is the first installation of our "Weekly Wednesday Culinary Conception"!  As my dear friends Kevin, Mandy, and myself gathered once again, with higher aspirations than the "Chriscotti Incident", we decided to whip together an old Italian favorite that would both satisfy our cravings for pasta, vino, and a good time (Since those two will be dinning at "Vince's" in Renton without me this weekend).
We began this weekly food and friends meeting in hopes of relieving a bit of the preasures from the doldrums of the week.  Monday is mearly the beginning, and we all have the weekend to look forward to on Friday, but nothing to give us hope at the middle of the work week.  Thus, an idea for this gathering is born.

At this "meeting of the minds" (ya right!), we are working on Mandy's interpretation of Manicotti.  Please bear in mind that because we are getting a later start this evening (rough work schedules this week), that we are making this utilizing the "Semi-Homamade" method.  Believe me, the baked ziti competiton between Mandy and I is in the making, but we really need a weekend for it to make the homemade pasta.

This is what ensued:

Ingredients:

2 Cups Parmesan cheese

2 Cups Romano cheese

2 cups Mozzarella cheese

1 small container Low fat ricotta cheese

2 jars of Prego roasted garlic pasta sauce

1/3 cup chopped Parsley

1 bundle Basil

Ton of salt

Ton of pepper

2 Tbs. Garlic salt

1 package of 12-14 Manicotti shells

2 eggs

Preperation:

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F)

-Boil the noodles in water until the feel “Al Dente”, meaning they are soft with just a little stiffness to them still. Commonly you do this with vegetables so they are cooked and tender, but still have some crunch.

-Grate 2 cups of parmesan, Romano, and mozzarella

-Chiffonade the basil leaves (stack leaves on each other, roll the leaves into a cylinder and cut cross wise creating thing and small ribbons).
-Chop Italian parsley.
-Mix together parsley, ricotta cheese, basil, salt, pepper, garlic salt, and 2 eggs into a cheese batter. Add grated cheeses.

-Take soft manicotti shells and pipe cheese mixture into each shell.

-Spread 1 cup pasta sauce on bottom of baking dish and lay out filled manicotti shells. Top with extra grated Romano, Parmesan, and Mozzarella cheese.

-Bake in preheated oven for 30-40 minutes until cheese begins to bubble. You can turn on the broiler for the last 3-5 minutes just to toast the top layer of cheese for a nice crust.

-Remove for oven and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

We ate Mandy’s manicotti with a bottle of Gabbiano vintage 2007 Chianti. This wine comes from the Tuscany region of Italy. The Chianti was a bit more “full bodied” than the bottle of Joseph Latour vintage 2006 Pinot Noir Bourgogne that we started the evening with and paired very well with the red sauce and pasta. Chianti classico is a mixed wine of about 75-100% Sangiovese (The star grape in the mix), up to 10% Canaiolo, and up to 20% of any other approved red grape variety such as cabernet sauvignon, merlot or syrah. Chianti must have an alcohol content of 12% and be aged for a minimum of 7 months in oak barrels.

I believe the most famous reference to this wine came when Hannibal Lecter discussed a dinning experience as he told agent Clarice Starling “I ate his liver with fava beans and a nice Chianti .” in “Silence of the Lambs”. Not the most appetizing introduction to this fine drink.

I must say, this Wednesday’s culinary creation was a smash success! If this is any indication of what Mandy's baked ziti will come out like, I might have quite the challenge ahead of me. Now it is back to the books to see what we shall make next time around.

Thanks for reading and wishing you best eating.
Bon Appétit!