Manicotti Florentine

For most home chefs, manicotti is fun to make. There’s just something about filling those beautiful cylinders! This recipe features melted cheese, fresh spinach and lean beef, making the manicotti ooze with cheesy goodness.

source	Tuttorosso Tomatoes
categories	main dish, pasta, italian
yield	Serves 8
prep time	25 mins
total time	1 hour 25 mins

INGREDIENTS

½ lb lean ground beef

1 Med onion, minced

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 (10 oz) Pkg frozen chopped spinach, thawed and moisture removed

4 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup soft bread crumbs

3 eggs, slightly beaten

Salt and black pepper to taste

1 (8 oz) box manicotti

1 (28 oz) can Tuttorosso Italian Inspirations Tomato Puree Extra Thick

1 (1.5 oz) packet spaghetti sauce mix, or 3 Tbsp Homemade Spaghetti Sauce Mix, recipe below

½ cup water

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. In a skillet brown ground beef and onion in oil for 5 minutes. Drain off excess fat. Add spinach, Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, eggs, salt and black pepper.

2. Par-boil manicotti for 12 minutes or until soft. Fill manicotti with meat mixture In a bowl combine tomato puree and spaghetti sauce mix. Cover bottom of 9x13 inch baking dish with 1 cup sauce mixture.

3. Arrange filled manicotti in a single layer on sauce. Leave a little sauce between manicotti. Add leftover meat mixture to sauce. Completely cover manicotti with remaining sauce. Add ½ cup water and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 1 hour. Allow to stand for 5 minutes before serving.

4. Recipe for Homemade Spaghetti Sauce Mix Combine the following ingredients in a bowl ;1/4 cup cornstarch, ¼ cup dried minced onion, ¼ cup dried parsley flakes, 3 tablespoons dried sweet pepper flakes, 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning, salt & black pepper to taste, 4 teaspoons sugar and 2 teaspoons dried minced garlic.Store in an airtight container in a cool dry place for up to a year.