marsha-tbay
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Squash and Chard Manicotti
From Cuisine at Home
Cuisine states before this recipe begins that manicotti pasta tubes are too thick to prevent tearing before stuffing. So for that reason they encourage the use of lasagna noodles in this recipe. Lay out the sheets of pasta and top with the filling – don’t overfill or it will squish out the sides. Place them seam side down in the dish so that they don’t unravel during cooking.
Make your own Bechamel sauce. Bechamel is the 'mother' of sauces, depending on its thickness it can be used as a base for soups, stews and soufflés. The Bechamel reaches maximum thickness only when it comes to a boil. Boiling eliminates the starchy flavor of the flour, so cook it long enough that it bubbles for at least one minute; whisk constantly to prevent scorching. Use the béchamel shortly after making it. It thickens as it cools and will turn gluey if you wait too long. If that happens, just whisk in milk until the sauce is pourable.
Makes 12. Total time about 2 hours
For the filling:
Saute in 2 tbsp unsalted butter:
2-1/2 c butternut squash, peeled, diced
1 c leeks, thinly sliced
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Add and simmer:
¼ c chicken or veg broth
2 tsp sugar
Stir in and steam:
2 c chards, stemmed, sliced
1 tbs minced fresh sage
Salt and pepper to taste
Blend; stir in:
1 c gruyere cheese, shredded
1 c ricotta
¼ c parmesan cheese, grated
1 egg
Squash-chard mixture
For the manicotti:
1 recipe Bechamel sauce
12 lasagna sheets
Top Manicotti with:
Béchamel sauce
½ c gruyere , shredded
Serve with: Balsamic Walnut Salad (below)
Preheat oven to 425. Coat a large casserole dish with nonstick spray.
Saute squash, leeks and pepper flakes for the filling in butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook until leeks are soft, about 5 minutes.
Add broth and sugar, cover and simmer until liquid is evaporated and squash soft, 5-7 minutes.
Stir in charge and sage, cover and steam until chard is wilted, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, cool briefly.
Blend cheeses and egg together in a large bowl. Fold in squash mixture until combined.
Prepared béchamel and pasta sheets. Coat bottom of baking dish with 1 c béchamel; fill and roll manicotti.
Top with remaining béchamel and ½ c gruyere. Bake, uncovered for 25 minutes, or until cheese is golden and sauce is bubbly. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Balsamic-Walnut Salad
Makes 8 cups, 10 minutes
Whisk together
2 tbs balsamic vinegar
1 tbs red wine vinegar
1 tbs shallot, minced
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
Drizzle in; toss with
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp walnut oil
8 c mesclun
½ c walnuts, toasted, chopped
Whisk vinegars, ahllot mustard salt and pepper together. Drizzle in both oils until emulsified. Toss some of the dressing with greens and walnuts just before serving with manicotti.
From Cuisine at Home
Cuisine states before this recipe begins that manicotti pasta tubes are too thick to prevent tearing before stuffing. So for that reason they encourage the use of lasagna noodles in this recipe. Lay out the sheets of pasta and top with the filling – don’t overfill or it will squish out the sides. Place them seam side down in the dish so that they don’t unravel during cooking.
Make your own Bechamel sauce. Bechamel is the 'mother' of sauces, depending on its thickness it can be used as a base for soups, stews and soufflés. The Bechamel reaches maximum thickness only when it comes to a boil. Boiling eliminates the starchy flavor of the flour, so cook it long enough that it bubbles for at least one minute; whisk constantly to prevent scorching. Use the béchamel shortly after making it. It thickens as it cools and will turn gluey if you wait too long. If that happens, just whisk in milk until the sauce is pourable.
Makes 12. Total time about 2 hours
For the filling:
Saute in 2 tbsp unsalted butter:
2-1/2 c butternut squash, peeled, diced
1 c leeks, thinly sliced
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Add and simmer:
¼ c chicken or veg broth
2 tsp sugar
Stir in and steam:
2 c chards, stemmed, sliced
1 tbs minced fresh sage
Salt and pepper to taste
Blend; stir in:
1 c gruyere cheese, shredded
1 c ricotta
¼ c parmesan cheese, grated
1 egg
Squash-chard mixture
For the manicotti:
1 recipe Bechamel sauce
12 lasagna sheets
Top Manicotti with:
Béchamel sauce
½ c gruyere , shredded
Serve with: Balsamic Walnut Salad (below)
Preheat oven to 425. Coat a large casserole dish with nonstick spray.
Saute squash, leeks and pepper flakes for the filling in butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook until leeks are soft, about 5 minutes.
Add broth and sugar, cover and simmer until liquid is evaporated and squash soft, 5-7 minutes.
Stir in charge and sage, cover and steam until chard is wilted, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, cool briefly.
Blend cheeses and egg together in a large bowl. Fold in squash mixture until combined.
Prepared béchamel and pasta sheets. Coat bottom of baking dish with 1 c béchamel; fill and roll manicotti.
Top with remaining béchamel and ½ c gruyere. Bake, uncovered for 25 minutes, or until cheese is golden and sauce is bubbly. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Balsamic-Walnut Salad
Makes 8 cups, 10 minutes
Whisk together
2 tbs balsamic vinegar
1 tbs red wine vinegar
1 tbs shallot, minced
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
Drizzle in; toss with
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp walnut oil
8 c mesclun
½ c walnuts, toasted, chopped
Whisk vinegars, ahllot mustard salt and pepper together. Drizzle in both oils until emulsified. Toss some of the dressing with greens and walnuts just before serving with manicotti.