Manicotti with cheese and meat sauce

Ingredients:

Manicotti pancakes

• 1 cup premium wheat flour
• 1 egg
• 1 cup skim milk
• 2 tbsp. l. olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Meat sauce

• 1 cup medium-sliced ​​white button mushrooms
• 450 g of ground beef tenderloin (10% fat)
• 2 cans (450 g each) of pureed tomatoes
• 4 tbsp. l. olive oil
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1 onion, finely diced

Filling

• 0.5 l ricotta
• 225 gr. coarsely grated mozzarella
• 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese for filling, plus 1/4 cup
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 eggs

Preparation:

1. For pancakes: In a large bowl, combine the flour and eggs. Gradually add the milk and mix well. Add a tablespoon of olive oil, season with salt, and beat until the dough is smooth.
   
   Heat a tablespoon of oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Pour the batter into the skillet, using about 2-4 tablespoons for each pancake. Tilt the skillet in a circular motion to coat the bottom evenly.
   
   Fry the pancake until lightly browned on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Remove it with a silicone spatula, flip it over, and fry the other side. Repeat with the remaining batter.
2. For the meat sauce: Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, garlic, and onion and sauté gently until the onion is translucent. Remove the mushroom mixture from the pan and set aside.
   
   Add another 2 tablespoons of oil and the ground meat. Fry until the meat is browned, then add the tomato puree. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer until the sauce has reduced, 40-45 minutes. At the end of cooking, add the mushroom mixture back to the pan and simmer the sauce for another 10 minutes.
3. For the filling: In a large bowl, combine ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, parsley, salt, pepper, and eggs. Mix well.
4. Fill the pancakes: Place 2-3 tablespoons of filling in the center of each crepe and roll it into a tube. Place the crepes in a 28x43 cm baking dish, lining them up tightly.
5. Preheat oven to 180°C. Pour the meat sauce over the crepes until completely coated and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake the manicotti until the cheese begins to bubble, about 45 minutes. Serve warm.