Rachael's Daytime Talk Show
Mario Batali's Stuffed Manicotti with Beef -- 10/13/09

Mario Batali's Stuffed Manicotti with Beef

Ingredients

  • 1/2 prosciutto cotto, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
  • 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 carrot, finely, diced
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 rib celery, finely diced
  • 1 clove garlic, sliced
  • 1 pound beef round ground
  • 1/2 tube tomato paste
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Parmigiano-Reggiano, for grating
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/2 cup grated Pecorino-Romano plus 1/2 cup
  • 1 package Barilla manicotti
  • 1 package Barilla manicotti2 bunches Italian parsley, finely chopped to yield 1/2 cup
  • 2 cups basic tomato sauce

Yields:

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Bring 6 quarts water to boil and add 2 tablespoons salt. Add the manicotti and cook according to package directions. Drain and reserve. Once you have the water working, start the filling.

In a 6 to 8-quart, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, and garlic and sweat over medium heat until the vegetables are translucent and soft but not browned, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the ground beef and stir into the vegetables. And cook over medium heat and fully cooked, about 10 minutes, stirring regularly.

Add the tomato paste, milk, and wine and simmer over medium-low heat for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Place cool cooked and cooled ragu in large mixing bowl and add prosciutto cotto, eggs, 1/2 cup grated cheese and 1/2 chopped parsley and mix well. Season with salt and pepper and carefully stuff, using a piping bag or a small spoon, into pasta tubes. Layer pasta tubes in an oiled 8-inch by 10-inch baking dish, alternating with tomato sauce and grated cheese, until dish is full. Place in an oven and cook 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown and crispy on top and serve.