AMERICAS TEST KITCHEN MANICOTTI RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 300 degrees.
• Start with the bacon weave.
• To make the weave, lay out eight strips of bacon vertically on a piece of foil or plastic wrap.
• Then, fold over every other vertical piece of bacon in the middle. Next, place a strip horizontally across the vertical bacon.
• Then, unfold the folded strips and fold back the alternate row of bacon that you previously left flat. Place the next piece of bacon across the vertical strips directly adjacent to the first horizontal piece. Repeat this process two more times.
• Once you finish the first half, repeat with the other half.
• Season the top of the bacon with a little salt and pepper.
• Now it is time to prepare the turkey breast. You can do this with a bone-in turkey breast, but it will take a lot more bacon. I prefer the ease of a boneless turkey breast. If your turkey breast was packaged with a net around it, make sure to cut the net off and dispose of it. There really won't be a need for the net as the sweet bacon weave will take its place. Once you have the turkey breast unwrapped and de-netted, season with a little salt and pepper. Then, wrap in the bacon. The foil/plastic wrap that you assembled your weave on will help you encase the turkey with the bacon.
• Once you have the turkey wrapped, place it on a rack on foil lined sheet pan.
• Insert a probe thermometer and then place into the oven. Cook until the internal temperature of the turkey breast is 165 degrees Fahrenheit. This took about 1 hour and 45 minutes for my 2.5 lb turkey breast. This time will vary based on the size of your breast. As always, make sure to cook based on temperature and not on time.
• Once the breast has come to temperature, remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.
• Serve and enjoy!

Steps:

• For the Sauce: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Pulse 1 can tomatoes with their juice in food processor until coarsely chopped, 3 or 4 pulses. Transfer to bowl. Repeat with remaining can tomatoes.
• Heat oil, garlic, and pepper flakes (if using) in large saucepan over medium heat until fragrant but not brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and 1/2 teaspoon salt and simmer until thickened slightly, about 15 minutes. Stir in basil; adjust seasoning with salt.
• For the cheese filling: Combine ricotta, 1 cup Parmesan, mozzarella, eggs, salt, pepper, and herbs in medium bowl; set aside.
• To assemble: Pour 1 inch boiling water into 13 by 9-inch broilersafe baking dish, then add noodles one at a time. Let noodles soak until pliable, about 5 minutes, separating noodles with tip of sharp knife to prevent sticking. Remove noodles from water and place in single layer on clean kitchen towels; discard water in baking dish and dry baking dish.
• Spread bottom of baking dish evenly with 1 1/2 cups sauce. Using a spoon, spread 1/4 cup cheese mixture evenly onto bottom three-quarters of each noodle (with short side facing you), leaving top quarter of noodle exposed. Roll into tube shape and arrange in baking dish seam side down. Top evenly with remaining sauce, making certain that pasta is completely covered.
• Cover manicotti with aluminum foil. Bake until bubbling, about 40 minutes, then remove foil. Remove baking dish, adjust oven rack to uppermost position (about 6 inches from heating element), and heat broiler. Sprinkle manicotti evenly with remaining 1 cup Parmesan. Broil until cheese is spotty brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Cool 15 minutes, then serve.