I love pasta. It is so versatile that I could probably make a different pasta dish every day for the rest of my life and not get tired of it. Don’t believe me? Just take a look at all the pasta dishes I’ve posted on this blog and visit Ruth’s Presto Pasta Night blog. Isn’t it amazing the creativity foodies use when it comes to pasta?
I’ve been meaning to make manicotti for a long time, and finally decided to get a package at the store last time we were there. Even though I have made my own pasta before, I still buy most of it at the store. I do not own a pasta maker (and I am not going to get one any time soon because of the move, I’ll tell you about that later) and rolling the pasta with a rolling pin is too much work. It doesn’t matter how good of a work out it is, sometimes I just don’t have the time. Even though these manicotti were store-bought, they were still delicious. The secret is in the sauce 
I used the same filling for these manicotti that I use for lasagna. That is, ricotta cheese mixed with Parmesan, Romano and mozzarella cheeses, salt, pepper, parsley and eggs. I used a pastry bag to fill the cooked manicotti. It was a little bit tricky, but not difficult after the second one. I then placed them in a baking dish, covered them with the chorizo sauce and baked them for 25 minutes at 175°F.
Chorizo sauce
The ingredients:
- 1/2 lb Mexican chorizo
- 1/2 lb ground meat (I usually use turkey)
- 5-6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 cup red wine
- 2 small zucchinis, diced
- 2-3 cups diced tomatoes
- Italian herbs (thyme, oregano, parsley, basil, etc)
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- salt and pepper to taste
The how-to:
- Remove the casing of the chorizo and brown it in an iron-cast skillet over mediun-high heat. Add garlic and sautee in the chorizo fat until it starts to turn brown. Add onion and sautee as well.
- Add ground meat and cook until brown. Add red wine and bring to a boil.
- Add zucchini and tomatoes and bring the sauce to a boil again.
- Reduce heat to low and add herbs and spices. Mix well.
- Simmer for about 30 minutes stirring constantly. Adjust seasoning as necessary.
¡Buen provecho!
This is my entry for this week’s Presto Pasta Nights. The host this week is Kevin of Closet Cooking. Check out this great event and Kevin’s delicious blog.
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bellini valli
The chorizo sauce sounds spicy and comforting for this time of the year Ben. Gotta' love chorizo!!!
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kat
Oh chorizo sauce! Sign me up
Natashya
Oh my, that does look wonderful! I am with you – I could easily have pasta every night.
I wish we could get Mexican chorizo here, we have the Spanish type in our grocer's but not the Mexican.
We really need more Latin culture (and food!) in Canada.
BenHerrera
I should move up there then
ivyliac
I never knew of manicotti until today and now it's the secibd recipe I am seeing in just a few hours.
BenHerrera
That is a big coincidence!
Hélène
The chorizo must add such a wonderful taste to this dish. Love the pictures.
dawn
is that one serving? I would eat that whole thing, seriously.
BenHerrera
That was actually a little bit more than one serving. I kinda cheated taking pictures of the dish before baking it. Hahaha.
nina
Ben, it is 5 in the morning and I am thinking of ways to justify my cravings for what I am looking at… Wow, what a lovely plate of pasta that is….
Peter G
Manicotti is a pasta I often have in the US! I love the chorizo sauce Ben! Delicious and beautiful pics too!
Kevin
That manicotti looks so good! Great photos! I like the sound of using the Mexican chorizo and zucchini in it. Thnaks fro sharing with Presto Pasta Nights!
Jess_Nunemaker
Manicotti? Now you're speaking my language! I could live on pasta and pasta alone.
I'm so making this! Nice change from the usual spinach manicotti I normally make.
Maria
Your photos always amaze me!
The Leftover Queen
Yum Ben! I love this new take on manicotti – making it nice and spicy!!! I love it! Great photos too!
Jackie
Oh Ben you had me at chorizo. I will be making this dish this weekend.
elizabeth
I think I’d eat just about anything with chorizo in it. Yum.
Simone (junglefrog)
I love pasta too. It's one of those dishes where you can always find a variation to a pasta dish that you like, on almost any day of the week and I love the look of this dish!
Joanne
The chorizo sauce sounds super tasty, especially with that filling in the manicotti. I have never made my own pasta before – the dried stuff is just TOO convenient. I also don't have a pasta roller…or the patience to roll it by hand,. Delicious!
pigpigscorner
I love pasta too! and I can have it everyday too if my hubs don't complain. pasta is so versatile and the possibilities are endless! The chorizo sauce looks so good!
Sam
I love the sound of that sauce, chorizo is one of my favourite things!
Foodycat
Oh wow. Wow. That sauce sounds so perfect with the cheesy pasta! How is Mexican chorizo different to Spanish? Because I can get Spanish quite easily.
Joan Nova
Now why didn't I think of that?! It would combine both sides of my heritage and spotlight 2 of my favorite foods — pasta and chorizo. BTW, I don't make my own pasta either but I know manicotti is very simple. You don't need a pasta machine. It's more like making crepes — or tortillas!
Jeff
I have yet to find something that chorizo does not play perfectly with. This time of year I definitely also start dishing out more pasta based dishes because hey why not.
I love everything in this dish but the bloody zucchinis for some reason I have never liked them.
Awesome job as always!
Ruth
Ben, you certainly know the way to this girl's heart…manicotti AND chorizo – what a great combination. Thanks so much for sharing with Presto pasta Nights. It's always a treat when you dol
Peter
Ben, this dish is spectaculat. I've just finished dinner and I'm hungry again.
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Diana
oooh, very garlicky, I love garlic. looks delicious.
Dale
Instead of Manicotti shells, try using Egg Roll wraps. They are way easier to load with filling(s) and don't need pre cooking.