Christmas Eve Manicotti Recipe

Ingredients:

Crepes:

4 eggs

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 1/4 cups milk

1/4 cup melted butter

1 tablespoon vegetable oil, or more as needed

Filling:

1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach - thawed, drained, and squeezed dry

1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese

1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

3 tablespoons chopped green onion

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 cups prepared marinara sauce, or as needed

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, or to taste

Instructions:

Whisk 4 eggs and 1/4 teaspoon salt together in a bowl; gradually whisk flour into eggs, alternating with milk, to make a smooth batter. Whisk melted butter into batter; refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Pour vegetable oil into a small bowl. Heat a small skillet over medium heat; brush skillet with vegetable oil using a pastry brush. Ladle in enough batter to lightly cover the bottom of the skillet, about 1/4 cup; swirl skillet to cover bottom completely. Cook crepe until it turns lightly golden brown on the bottom; flip and cook until other side has small brown spots. Repeat with remaining batter, brushing the skillet with oil as needed to prevent crepes from sticking; set cooked crepes aside between layers of waxed paper.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Lightly mix spinach, ricotta cheese, cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, parsley, green onion, onion powder, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 2 eggs in a bowl until filling is thoroughly combined.

Spread 1 cup marinara sauce into the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Place a crepe onto a work surface and spoon about 3 tablespoons filling, or more as needed, in a line down the center of each crepe. Roll crepe over filling and set into sauce in pan; repeat with remaining crepes and filling, laying filled crepes into pan. Spread remaining marinara sauce over filled crepes. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.

Bake in the preheated oven until bubbling and mozzarella cheese is melted and slightly browned, 20 to 30 minutes.