Manicotti Tuscany - Rosalia Santori

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon virgin olive oil
• 1 finely minced red onion
• 1 crushed garlic clove
• 2 lbs ground round
• 2 lbs sweet Italian sausage
• 1 tablespoon dry basil
• 13 teaspoon dry oregano
• 12 teaspoon dried parsley
• 18 teaspoon celery seed
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 (8 ounce) canground Italian plum tomatoes
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 cup fine sangiovasi chianti wine
• 4 cups italian ricotta cheese
• 3 fresh eggs
• 12 cup freshly ground romano cheese
• 12 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 18 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons dried parsley
• 14 manicotti
• 3 tablespoons freshly ground romano cheese

Instructions

1. Saute the Onion, Garlic, Ground Round and Sausage in Olive Oil until meat is browned.
2. Drain all liquids.
3. Crumble Basil, Oregano, in your hands as you add them.
4. Add Celery Seed, Bfown Sugar Salt and Pepper.
5. Add the remaining sauce ingredients and simmer, uncovered until the consistency is that of a very thick Spaghetti Sauce.
6. While the sauce is reducing and marrying, prepare the Filling.
7. Place the Ricotta in a Lg Mixing Bowl and stir in eggs.
8. Add the Romano, Pepper and Nutmeg.
9. Crumble and add the Parsley.
10. To assemble, fill the uncooked, dry noodles with a teaspoon or a Baker's Cone.
11. Cover the bottom of a 9 by 13 pan with sauce.
12. Carefully arrange the noodles and cover them with the remaining sauce.
13. Place in a 400-degree oven and bake 40 minutes.
14. Remove, uncover, sprinkle with additional Romano or Parmesan Cheese and bake uncovered for 10 more minutes.
15. This recipe is best cooked for the first 40 minutes one day and the 10 the next.
16. Serve with a Fine Chianti, a Caesar Salad and Lemon Ice.