Daily Camera (Boulder)

Up your baked pasta game with manicotti

Manicotti, a large, ridged, tubed pasta, is typically stuffed with either a ricotta or meat filling, covered in red sauce and more cheese and baked until bubbly. It’s a seriously satisfying dish that hits all the comforting notes you’d expect in a baked pasta.

While the traditiona­l version of this iconic Italian dish is one of my alltime favorites, I think I might like this flavorful, ultra-creamy chicken and spinach version even better.

Using whole-fat cottage cheese gives the filling a smoother, creamier texture with none of the graininess you sometimes find with ricotta.

While it’s not difficult to use a small spoon to stuff the pasta tubes, I find that the job is even easier with a large plastic piping bag, like the ones you would use for cake or pastry decorating bag. I just cut a hole slightly smaller than the opening of the pasta tube and pipe the filling inside.

Because the pasta shells are slightly undercooke­d, they aren’t completely limp, which also makes them easier to fill. Using cottage cheese in the filling rather than the more traditiona­l ricotta gives this deeply satisfying stuffed pasta dish an extra creaminess.

Creamy Chicken and Spinach Manicotti

1(8oz.) box manicotti shells (14 shells)

31/2 c. marinara sauce, warmed, divided

1/2 c. heavy cream

21/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

2c. shredded cooked chicken 1(16-oz.) container 4% cottage cheese

1(10-oz.) pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, squeezed dry

1/2 c. shredded Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish

1/4 c. chopped fresh basil

1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

2cloves garlic, finely chopped

1egg, slightly beaten

Preheat oven to 375degrees. Cook manicotti in a large pot of boiling salted water for 5 to 6minutes until almost al dente, but still slightly stiff. Transfer to a colander, rinse with cool water and drain well.

In a large measuring cup, combine 2cups marinara sauce and cream. Set aside. In a large bowl combine 2cups of the mozzarella cheese, chicken, cottage cheese, spinach, Parmesan cheese, basil, pepper flakes, garlic and egg.

Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Spread 1 cup of the creamy marinara sauce in bottom of baking dish. Spoon (or use a pastry piping bag) the chicken and spinach filling into the manicotti shells and place in the baking dish. Spoon remaining 11/2 cups of the creamy marinara sauce over the top.

Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese on top. Cover tightly with foil; bake 25minutes. Uncover; bake another 15to 20minutes longer or until edges of pan are bubbling. Let sit for 10 minutes.

Garnish with more Parmesan and serve with the remaining marinara sauce on the side. Serves 6.