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Instructions
Homemade Pesto
In a food processor add: fresh basil leaves, pine nuts, 3 garlic cloves, 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, kosher salt, and fresh ground black pepper. Pulse until ingredients are chopped.
With the food processor on low blend, slowly pour the olive oil through the pour spout into the chopped ingredients, until fully combined. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. (See note #4)
Cheesy Pesto Manicotti
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Cook manicotti pasta al dente according to package instruction. Do not overcook or they will fall apart when stuffing. Drain and set aside (you can add a touch of olive oil if they begin to stick to each other)
In a large bowl add: 12oz ricotta cheese, 1 cup shredded mozzarella, 1 cup grated parmesan, 1 large egg, 3/4 cup of freshly made pesto, and 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes. Using a silicone spatula, mix all the ingredients until they are fully combined.
In a baking dish, add 3/4 of the red sauce to the bottom of the dish and spread it out evenly, set aside. (See note #5)
Using a gallon zip lock bag, spoon in the cheesy pesto mixture into the bag and push it all to one corner. Cut a hole in the bottom corner of the bag that will fit the inside circle of the manicotti. Grab an al dente cooked manicotti, insert the tip of the bag inside, squeeze until the manicotti is filled, then place the manicotti in the red sauce inside the baking dish. Repeat until all manicotti are filled.
Once all the manicotti are filled, drizzle with the remaining 1/4 of the red sauce, the remaining 1/4 cup of the pesto. Top with 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese and 3 tbsp of parmesan cheese.
Bake for 30 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly. If you want the cheese more browned, broil for a few seconds keeping an eye not to burn it. Carefully remove from the oven, top with fresh basil, and serve.
Notes
You can substitute store bought pesto, you will need 1 cup of pesto for the recipe
Omit the red pepper flakes if you do not like spicy
You can substitute the arrabbiata sauce for your favorite red sauce if you do not like spicy
If not using the homemade pesto right away, you can store in an airtight container for 2-3 days, pesto may darken while storing. Or you can freeze for later use in an ice cube tray.
I recommend choosing a baking dish prior to cooking the manicotti, so you can see if they fit prior, you can also divide them into two dishes
If you want to make ahead of time, stuff the manicotti with the cheesy pesto mixture and freeze prior to adding the red sauce. When ready to make, add to the red sauce and add an additional 10 minutes to the bake time, totaling 40 minutes bake time.