This recipe has been adapted from a Cook’s Country recipe. I think it may have also been featured in Cook’s Illustrated or America’s Test Kitchen at one point. For me, it was a cook out scrap in a pile that I adapted to fit my family.
The original recipe called for ground beef with pepperoni in the meat sauce. I changed the pepperoni to be in my filling and it really works for us and I use sirloin beef tips instead of ground beef. I also added twice the crushed tomatoes they called for. And then I added more herbs to the cheese filling and I use my homemade sauce recipe.
The prep time to make it completely from scratch makes it a weekend meal, BUT it adapts to pre-prepared ingredients including jarred or canned sauce 🙂 It tastes even better the next day for lunch!
BAKED MANICOTTI with MEAT SAUCE aka ITALIAN ENCHILADAS Ala BOLEGNESE
MEAT SAUCE
1 tablespoon butter or avocado oil
1 LARGE Vidalia onion, small chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1 LARGE carrot, small diced
1 pound sirloin beef tips, cut into small pieces
4 ounces tomato paste
1 cup homemade chicken stock
1/2-1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
56 ounces (2 LARGE cans) crushed tomatoes, undrained
FRESH ground salt and black pepper
- In a large stock pot melt butter or heat oil.
- Saute onions, carrots and garlic until golden.
- Add beef tips, season with FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, sautéing 5 minutes.
- Add chicken stock, tomato paste, tomatoes and red pepper flakes, stirring to blend.
- Reduce heat to LOW and simmer 30-45 minutes until meat is falling apart, sauce has thickened and is fragrant.
- Adjust seasonings to taste.
FILLING
3 cups Ricotta cheese
1 LARGE egg, lightly beaten
2 cups Mozzarella cheese
1 LARGE egg, lightly beaten
FRESH ground salt and black pepper, to taste
4-6 ounces pepperoni, diced small
2 tablespoons freeze dried basil
1 teaspoon Italian herbs
- In a large bowl combine ricotta, Mozzarella cheese, egg, basil, herbs, pepperoni pieces and FRESH ground salt and black pepper, to taste.
- Heat oven to 375°.
NOODLES
16 Barilla OVEN READY no-boil lasagna noodles
- Place lasagna noodles in a baking dish.
- Pour boiling water over noodles and let sit 5 minutes until pliable.
- Drain noodles on kitchen towel.
- Discard water.
ASSEMBLY
1 cup Mozzarella cheese
- Spread 1/2 of the meat sauce on the bottom of your baking dish.
- Spread about 1/4 cup filling onto each noodle and gently roll up.
- Place seam side into sauced pan.
- Spread remaining sauce over noodles.
- Cover with foil and bake 40-45 minutes on middle rack until bubbling at edges.
- Remove foil and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
- Bake another 5 minutes until cheese is melted.
- Turn off oven and let set 5-10 minutes before serving.