Swiss Chard and Sweet Pea Manicotti

I know... it's July. It's LATE July. And here I am posting a creamy, cheesy, baked pasta dish. Well, I actually made this probably over a month ago, but I hadn't gotten around to posting it until now. Also, I don't necessarily think that there are certain times that you should eat ANY food. It's more what you're in the mood for at the time. PLUS, this manicotti is loaded with veggies! What's more summery than that? haha... Well, whether you make this now, or bookmark this page so you can make it in the fall, please make this dish. It's GOOD GOOD GOOD! The swiss chard, peas, and onions really give the filling a depth of flavor and set it way apart from the ho-hum ricotta only version.

This was also the very best picture I could get of this pasta. It's hard making a baked pasta look pretty, but I did my best. :-)

So how do you make it? Well, let me tell you...

Start with some beautiful swiss chard. This is actually the first time I've ever worked with this green. I'm sure I've eaten it before, but I've never bought it, taken it home, and cooked it for myself. I loved how HUGE the leaves were. They were a very dark and vibrant green; very pretty.



Using kitchen scissors or a knife, remove the leaves from the stems of the chard. Discard the stems. Chop the leaves into 1-inch pieces. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer.



Add the chard and cook, stirring constantly, until wilted, about 2 minutes.



See how much the swiss chard wilts?



Place the ricotta cheese, peas, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, basil, salt, and pepper in the bowl of a food processor. Add the cooled chard mixture and blend until smooth.



Yum! I had to stop myself from eating this whole bowl with just a spoon!



Spoon the mixture into a prepared pastry bag, (or just do what I did and take a Ziplock plastic bag, fill it with the mixture, zip the bag closed, hold it like a pastry bag and snip off one of the corners, allowing you to squirt the filling out), and fill each manicotti shell with the filling. Place the stuffed manicotti in the prepared baking dish.



Next, make the Fontina Fonduta sauce. In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring milk and cream to a simmer, over medium heat. Reduce heat to low. Add the fontina cheese and cook, stirring constantly, until the cheese is melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and basil.



Pour the sauce over the stuffed manicotti. I know... it looks like a lot. Trust me, the pasta soaks it all up.



Sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the top is golden. Cool for 5 minutes before serving.



One of the most beautiful things in life is... when cheese does THIS.



Let the pasta sit for about 10 minutes before you serve it so the sauce, cheese, filling, etc., doesn't run all over the place when you try and put it on the plate. Like I said, this was really good and I highly suggest making it when you're in the mood for some comfort food. And, of course, it was even better the next day.



Swiss Chard and Sweet Pea Manicotti
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis, 2008
Show: Everyday Italian
Episode: Pasta for Every Season



Butter, for greasing the pan
12 manicotti or cannelloni pasta shells

Filling
1 head (about 12 ounces) red or white Swiss chard
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
3/4 cup frozen petite peas, thawed
1 cup shredded mozzarella (4 ounces)
3/4 cup grated Parmesan (2 ounces)
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Fontina Fonduta Sauce
3/4 cup whole milk
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
3 cups (6 ounces) fontina cheese, grated
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) mozzarella, shredded

Special Equipment (optional): a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip (recommended: Ateco #7) <-- you can just use a ziplock bag, fill it, and snip one of the corners off; whalla! Your own pastry bag!


Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a 13 by 9-inch glass baking dish liberally with butter.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 6 to 8 minutes. Drain the pasta and rinse with cold water. Set aside.


For the Filling:

Using kitchen scissors or a knife, remove the leaves from the stems of the chard. Discard the stems. Chop the leaves into 1-inch pieces. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer. Add the chard and cook, stirring constantly, until wilted, about 2 minutes. Allow the mixture to cool slightly. Place the ricotta cheese, peas, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, basil, salt, and pepper in the bowl of a food processor. Add the cooled chard mixture and blend until smooth. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pastry bag and fill each manicotti shell with the filling. Place the stuffed manicotti in the prepared baking dish.

For the Fontina Fonduta Sauce:

In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring milk and cream to a simmer, over medium heat. Reduce heat to low. Add the fontina cheese and cook, stirring constantly, until the cheese is melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and basil.

Pour the sauce over the stuffed manicotti and sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the top is golden. Cool for 5 minutes before serving.