Recipe: JULIANS CHEESE MANICOTTI

Title: JULIAN'S CHEESE MANICOTTI
Categories: Pasta, Cheese, Davidson
Yield: 7 servings

-----------------------------------SAUCE-----------------------------------
1 lg Onion; chopped
1 Garlic clove; pressed
2 T Olive oil
12 oz Tomato paste
24 fl ;Water
2 T Oregano, fresh; chopped
1 sm Bay leaf
1 ts Salt
1/2 ts Pepper, black

-----------------------------------PASTA-----------------------------------
1 ts Olive oil
14 Manicotti noodles

----------------------------------FILLING----------------------------------
1 1/2 c Ricotta
6 lg Egg
1/4 lb Fontina; grated
1/4 lb Mozzarella; grated
1/3 lb Parmesan; grated
6 T Butter, sweet; softened
1 ts Salt
3/4 ts Pepper, black
2 T Basil, fresh; finely chopped
Parmesan; for sprinkling

Preheat the oven to 350 F. To make the sauce, gently saute the onion
and garlic in the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat until the
onion is translucent, about five minutes. Add the tomato paste and
stir. Slowly add the water and stir. Add the seasonings and allow
the sauce to simmer while preparing the manicotti and filling.

Manicotti: Bring a large pot of water to the boil, add the olive
oil, and drop in the manicotti. Cook al dente, about 12 minutes.
Drain and refresh under cold running water. Set aside.

Filling: beat the ricotta with the eggs until combined in the large
bowl of an electric mixer. Add the grated cheeses and softened
butter, beat until combined. Add the salt, pepper and basil. Beat
on low just until everything is combined. Gently fill the cooked
manicotti with the cheese mixture and arrange in two greased 9"x13"
pans. Cover the pasta in each pan with half the sauce; sprinkle on
additional parmesan. Bake for about 20 minutes, until the cheese is
thoroughly melted and the sauce is bubbling.

---*The Cereal Murders*
Diane Mott Davidson