Old World Manicotti

A little more time so another one for your collection:

Submitted by: John Gibbons (Fort Smith, AR)

12 Lg Manicotti Shells
4 Cups Shredded Mozzarella
2 Cups Ricotta Cheese
2 Tbs Dried Basil or 6 Tbs Fresh Basil Finely chopped
1 26 Oz Jar Spaghetti Sauce Divided(we make our own sauce which is another recipe)
1/2 Cup Grated Parmesan or Romano Cheese

Preheat oven to 350, spray 13x9 baking dish with nonstick spray or butter the bottom and sides of dish. Cook pasta shells according to package instructions. DON'T OVERCOOK the shells. If the shells become too soft they are useless. Drain, rinse and set on paper towels to dry.Filling:In medium bowl, stir together the Mozzarella, Ricotta, and basil. Using a tsp. CAREFULLY stuff pasta shells with cheese mixture. Spoon 2 cups of the spaghetti sauce into prepared baking dish. Arrange stuffed pasta over sauce. Pour remaining sauce over top of pasta. Sprinkle with remaining Mozzarella. Bake for 15 min, sprinkle with Parmesan, and bake for an additional 10 min. Serve immediately.These are from my wife's grandmother. We always use additional cheese and our own sauce. Soon I'll get some of the German recipes and even some Indonesian recipes!