Crepes-Style Manicotti

Recipe from Bevacqua’s Reservoir Tavern

Adapted by Jeff Gordinier

Published October 29, 2014

  • Danny Kim for The New York Times
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
3 hours
Rating
5(398)
Comments
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For many Italian-American families, in New Jersey and elsewhere, the Thanksgiving smorgasbord doesn’t feel quite right without a little touch of red sauce. So you say: “Manicotti? That doesn’t really go with turkey and stuffing and cranberries.” What, you want to argue about it? Besides, Thanksgiving also represents an American expression of abbondanza, the Italian concept of too-muchness that makes a meal feel epic. Here, courtesy of Reservoir Tavern, which has been serving customers in the Boonton area since 1936, comes a recipe for baked manicotti that uses crepes in place of pasta. Nicola Bevacqua, a member of the family that owns the place, said that his own family digs into this melted-cheese masterwork each holiday, as do the New Jersey locals who drop by to pick it up. The crepes, he assured us, “are light and airy and will leave you plenty of room for the turkey.” —Jeff Gordinier

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Ingredients

Yield:10 to 12 servings

FOR THE MARINARA SAUCE

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1 large white onion, finely chopped

  • 5 garlic cloves, minced

  • 2 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes

  • 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste

  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed

  • ½ teaspoon black pepper, plus more as needed

  • ⅛ teaspoon sugar

  • 4 fresh basil leaves, minced

FOR THE CREPES AND FILLING

  • 8 large eggs

  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

  • 2 pounds ricotta

  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella (from about 10 ounces)

  • 1 cup grated Parmesan (from about 2 ounces)

  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

  • ⅛ teaspoon grated nutmeg

  • 1 cup grated pecorino Romano (from about 2 ounces), plus more for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (10 to 12 servings)

33 grams carbs; 196 milligrams cholesterol; 467 calories; 10 grams monosaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 13 grams saturated fat; 26 grams fat; 4 grams fiber; 884 milligrams sodium; 27 grams protein; 9 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. FOR THE MARINARA SAUCE:

    1. Step 1

      Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, 8 to 10 minutes. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, pepper and sugar and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 1 ½ hours. Add basil, season to taste with salt and pepper, and let cool.

  2. FOR THE CREPES AND FILLING:

    1. Step 2

      Meanwhile, make the crepe batter: In a large bowl, whisk six eggs with 1 ½ cups of water. Gradually add flour and ⅛ teaspoon salt, whisking gently until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

    2. Step 3

      While batter chills, make the filling: In a large bowl, combine ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, the remaining two eggs, the parsley, 1 teaspoon salt, the pepper and the nutmeg. Cover and refrigerate until ready to assemble the manicotti.

    3. Step 4

      Heat oven to 375 degrees and lightly brush two 9-by 13-inch baking dishes with oil.

    4. Step 5

      Make the crepes: Remove batter from fridge and whisk it briefly. Heat about ½ teaspoon vegetable oil in an 8-inch nonstick pan over medium heat. Add about 3 tablespoons of batter, lifting and swirling the pan to spread a thin, even layer of batter on the bottom of the pan. Cook until batter starts to appear dry, about 30 seconds, then carefully flip crepe over and continue cooking for another 30 seconds. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Repeat with remaining crepe batter, adding oil every few crepes and adjusting heat as necessary.

    5. Step 6

      Assemble the manicotti: Spread 3 to 4 tablespoons filling down the center of a crepe. Roll it up and place it, seam-side-down, in one of the baking dishes. Repeat with remaining crepes and filling. Divide marinara sauce between two baking dishes, spreading it evenly over the manicotti, then bake for 30 minutes. Sprinkle each baking dish with about ½ cup pecorino Romano and continue baking until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is just starting to brown, about 10 minutes more.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
398 user ratings
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Comments

Claudia M.

Unless you're an expert crepe maker, count on a few clunkers in the beginning until you are comfortable with making them (don't worry - you'll get the hang of it!). Since this was the main course at our family dinner this weekend, I counted on 2 crepes for each person x 8 people. The original batter only made about 11 crepes so I had to make another batch. I halved it and it came out the perfect amount (plus a few leftover which I was glad to have!).

MotherSquid

Saw an episode of show where Mom taught daughter how to make favorite childhood food featuring crepe manicotti. Couldn't find show recipe, used NYT recipe & LOVED it! Crepe batter took minutes using blender & worked perfectly. We made fresh ricotta, also easy but so superior to store bought + our mar sauce recipe & results were awesome. The crepes make lighter but very satisfying dish. Added arugula salad w thin panko crusted chicken cutlets, dedicated meal to Anthony Bourdain.

Claudia M.

When I was growing up, my Mom would make this for every holiday dinner as our "pasta course" and we all wished we could have more manicotti instead of the main course (turkey, prime rib, etc.). I've been looking for a manicotti recipe that uses crepes instead of pasta tubes and this one did not disappoint! A lot more work than just stuffing pasta tubes but so worth the effort! Light, airy crepes surrounding gooey cheese. What could be better? Used my own spaghetti sauce though.

Lisa R

Made crepes for the first time using an electric crepe maker. They turned out very well. I found the batter very easy to work with. The filling was delicious. The entire family were big fans of this recipe. We did, however find the sauce to be thick and sweet. I will make this again but will use a different sauce recipe.

Fran

Making these for years, now I have a gluten free friend…any advice???

Anne Marie Strickland

Oh my stars, this was so good! We loved the tender, delicate crepes as manicotti wrappers!

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Credits

Adapted from Bevacqua’s Reservoir Tavern, Boonton, N.J.

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