Homemade Manicotti

Well friends, the calendar says it's February, but it feels like April.  How has your weather been?    There was just not enough winter for me or my recipes.   Sifting through my files I came about this one for Homemade Manicotti.  When I say "Homemade" that's what I mean.  You can substitute the sauce for one of your choice but making a marinara sauce isn't that difficult.  With all that said, here I go...

Fresh pasta....Handmade Pasta

2 cups All Purpose Flour
2 Eggs (room temperature
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
4 Tablespoons Water (warm)
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
     Place flour in a glass or ceramic mixing bowl.  Make a well in the bowl.  Mix eggs, water, oil and salt in a separate small bowl.  Add this mixture in the center of the flour.  With a fork bring the flour into the mixture little by little until all the flour has been incorporated.  Form a ball.  Cover with plastic or a dish towel for 1 hour.
     Cut the dough ball into 4 pieces.  With a rolling pin flatten one quarter piece of dough at a time.  You may need to cut this piece to fit into the pasta machine. Start at #6, run it through 2 times, then #5, 2 times, #4, 1 time and #3, 1 time. Cut this sheet of pasta into squares of 6x6 inches.  Flour them lightly and stack for later.  Continue the process until all dough has been used.  Next the cheese making process.

Farmer's Cheese

1Gallon of whole milk (No Substitutes)
1/4 cup vinegar
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
3 Quart Stainless Steel Sauce Pan
Colander or sieve
Cheese Cloth
Extra pan for draining

     Cook milk in the Stainless Steel Sauce Pan stirring constantly to prevent scorching until the temperature reaches 190 degrees or just to when it starts to boil.  Add the vinegar and salt.  Stir twice only.  Turn the stove off and let the curdling process begin.  This will take about 5 minutes.  Small curds will be present and the liquid (whey).  Line the sieve or colander with the cheesecloth and place over the extra pan to collect the whey while the curds remain in the cheese cloth.  When all the liquid has drained into the pot, twist the cheese cloth to extract the mi liquid in the cheese.   Now for your sauce.

You can use a store bought marinara sauce or make one from scratch.  Add any herbs and spices you may want.  Keep on low while boiling the water for the pasta.
Heat oven on 350 degrees.
Use the back of a fork to make lined edentations in each 6x6 sheet of pasta.  Drop a sheet of pasta into the boiling water for 1 minute.  Remove the pasta and place on a rack or parchment sheet.
 Loosen the cheese and place 1 tablespoon of cheese in the center of a pasta sheet.  Roll the pasta and cheese, turning joined end on the bottom of the baking dish.  Place in the baking dish of choice and cover with your marinara sauce.  Bake for 15 minutes on 350 degrees.  Eat while warm.  Simply delicious.  You and your family will enjoy this meal.  Remember, Eat well and always Eat Healthy.  Oh yeah, don't throw your whey away. Bottle it and I will show you how to use it in homemade bread or yeast rolls.
Healthy You, Healthy Me.