This is an absolutely amazing dish. Manicotti is an old Italian pasta. usually filled with cheese or fish and served with a traditional homemade tomato sauce. I will teach you how to make this elegant masterpiece. Now make this for a party and your guests will love this. When they ask how you can say you had some "Instructable" help. Have Fun and Get Cooking!!!!!!!!!!!!

Step 1: Homemade Sauce

Ingredients:

1 large yellow onion finely chopped
1 tbsp oil
2 cloves of garlic
1 carrot
(2) 20 oz. cans of tomato puree
(1) 6 oz. can of tomato paste
3/4 tbsp Italian seasoning
2 tbsp fresh Italian parsley
1 tbsp fresh basil
1/2 cup water
1 tsp sugar

Take a pot and throw the oil in on medium low. Add onion and sweat them with some salt and pepper. Grate in regular sized carrot with onions. After several minutes add garlic. Remember don't brown the onions and veggies. Now you can add your tomato paste and stir it in. Then add your puree and seasoning. While stirring add water and sugar and cook down the sauce for an hour stirring occasionally. After the hour add your parsley and basil. Whewww your done with that!

Step 2: Manicotti Filling

Ingredients:

47 oz. ricotta cheese
2 small cloves of garlic
2 eggs beaten
1 tsp fresh chives
1 tbsp fresh Italian parsley finely chopped
2 cups mozzarella cheese
3 tbsp Italian imported Parmesan cheese freshly grated

Put the ricotta in large bowl. using the garlic press put in two small cloves and mince. In a separate bowl beat eggs together with fork and add to ricotta mixture. Add the chives and parsley then add salt and pepper to taste. Add Mozzarella and Parmesan and mix together. Ya you've finished! Nope but you are close!!!!!!!!!!! :)

Step 3: Boil! Stuff! Bake!

Add 1 tbsp of salt to pasta pot and put it on high. Cook Manicotti for five minutes only and drain into strainer. Splash them with cold water to stop the cooking process. This means they are pre-boiled and that will taste better when the come out of the oven. Now put them on paper towels and pat them dry.

Now take baking pan and put on a layer of sauce on the bottom. Stuff the manicotti and place them in pan NEXT to each other. Put some sauce over manicotti but leave some as extra for the side. Cover in aluminum foil and bake for 40 min. at 350 degrees. When done pull out and top with Mozzarella cheese and keep it in oven until it melts. Great Job!!!! and always have fun cooking!! Whoa! ;)