the search for manicotti is over.

this is the best recipe i've tried. 

& i've been testing them out since the day daniel & i were married.

manicotti is one of our favorites.

& this is what it looks like as a leftover for lunch.

still not too bad :)

So there is something a little different about these…you don't use the store bought shells from the store. I've been wanting to move away from white pasta - which is originally why i wanted to try this recipe. because instead of using manicotti shells, you make crepes.

I know what you're thinking…i know. It takes too much time to make them that way. AND you will have squishy manicotti. There isn't a pinch of truth in either statement, folks. It took me at least half the time to make crepes as it did to boil, let cool & stuff a mass of shells.

You need to try them. Seriously.

To make the Crepes:

1/2 cup of flour

1/2 cup of water

2 eggs

1/4 teaspoon of sea salt

Mix all in a bowl & spoon about 1/4 cup of batter in your pan. You want these to be really thin. I jiggled my pan around a little to aid in the skinnyness.

(makes about 8 crepes)

For the filling:

1 1/2 cups of ricotta cheese

1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese

3 ounces of goat cheese (i was out of goat cheese, so i added the extra 1/2 cup of ricotta above)

1 cup of grated parmesan cheese

1 egg

1/4 cup of basil (mmm mmm…)

salt + pepper to taste

no. 1

Mix all ingredients together & preheat your oven to 350.

no. 2

Put just enough sauce in your pan to cover the bottom

no. 3

Then put a dollop of cheeses inside your crepe. Roll in burrito fashion & place in your pan.

This picture was taken in the black hole of our kitchen. forgive me.

no. 4

Cover with the remainder of your sauce, &

a handful each of mozzarella & parmesan cheese. Bake for 45 minutes.

Add MORE basil when you pull it back out of the oven :)

If you're really ambitious you could make your own sauce.

my tomatoes didn't give me enough to make much this year, so i added:

1 large clove of garlic

1/4 cup of basil & oregano

& MORE basil to a store bought one.

recipe from jaymeilo @ tasty kitchen

ENJOY!