Description
The Honeycomb Pasta Bake is a visually stunning and deliciously rich dish that captures the essence of Italian comfort food. This recipe layers perfectly cooked manicotti pasta with a creamy filling of ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheeses, all seasoned with garlic, oregano, and a hint of red pepper for a subtle kick. Topped with a robust marinara sauce and baked until the cheese is bubbly and golden, it’s a dish meant to be shared and savored.
Ingredients
16 oz manicotti pasta
8 oz Mozzarella cheese, shredded
15 oz Ricotta
½ cup parmesan, grated
3 Garlic cloves, minced
½ Shallot, minced (about 1 tbsp)
1 egg
1 tsp Oregano
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp salt
½ tsp red pepper flakes
2 cups marinara sauce or your favorite pasta sauce
Fresh Basil leaves as garnish
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Shred the mozzarella cheese and set aside ½ cup.
Bring 4 cups of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and boil for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. Slice each noodle in half, ensuring even lengths for a level pasta “pie.”
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the ricotta, parmesan, ½ cup mozzarella, minced garlic, minced shallot, egg, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and red pepper flakes. Mix thoroughly.
Transfer the filling to a piping bag or a ziplock bag with the corner cut off.
Lightly spray a 9” springform pan with non-stick cooking spray. Coat the bottom of the pan with a little bit of the pasta sauce.
Stack the cooked pasta vertically to fill the entire pan. Pipe cheese filling into each pasta until it is filled to the top.
Pour the sauce over the pasta and top with the remaining mozzarella.
Bake on the center rack of the oven for 20 minutes.
Remove the side of the springform pan and garnish with fresh basil.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
Nutrition
- Calories: 520