If You're Bored Of Fried Ravioli, Here's The Pasta Shape You Should Try Instead

In the appetizer world, fried ravioli is (dare we say) a next-level delicacy. While there are (at least) 12 different ways to cook with ravioli, frying up your pasta creates a crunchy, cheesy, satisfying snack that rivals mozzarella sticks. But all good things can end up feeling mundane if you make them too many times. So, if you're bored of fried ravioli but looking for another appetizer with similar qualities, try fried manicotti instead.

Even if you've never heard of classic manicotti before, you've probably seen it. These huge pasta tubes are typically stuffed with a cheesy filling, surrounded by tomato sauce, and baked to make a dish somewhat similar to a meatless baked ziti — but they don't have to be cooked this way. Instead, you can fill them with a similar cheesy mixture, then bread the outsides and fry them. You'll end up with something similar to fried mozzarella sticks, but with that extra layer of pasta between your breading and the gooey insides. Because these tubes are so large, you'll have more room to stuff them with a variety of tasty ingredients, instead of just frying up a plain old cheese stick.

If you want the best of both worlds — as in a cheesy mixture reminiscent of lasagna combined with the gooey pull of a mozzarella stick — you'll need to deploy two types of fromage in your fried manicotti recipe. To make the first type, you'll mix ricotta (or a suitable substitute) with parmesan, then add an egg to act as a binder and seasonings like salt, pepper, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine and set aside. The other type of cheese will be in the form of store-bought mozzarella cheese sticks. Once your manicotti noodles are cooked, insert a cheese stick into the center of each noodle. Then use a plastic bag with the tip cut off to pipe the ricotta and parmesan mixture into the leftover space in the pasta tubes.

While this is a classic cheesy filling, there's still room to get creative. Instead of using mozzarella sticks, stir shredded cheese into your ricotta mixture along with ingredients like chopped spinach or other veggies, ground beef, or diced cooked seafood. Then to get everything crispy, coat your stuffed manicotti in flour, followed by beaten eggs, then breadcrumbs. These can be deep fried in oil over the stove for a few minutes, or you can pop them in the air fryer at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes on each side. Sprinkle more parmesan on top, then dip your final product in your favorite marinara.