The Easiest Way To Stuff Manicotti

If you want to make expertly cooked manicotti at home, there are many tips and tricks to pull off the dish deliciously, like the use of different cheeses to stuff the tubular pasta. No matter what cheese goes inside, you need to know the best and easiest technique to fill the manicotti. You don't want to waste any of the pricey ingredients, make a big mess in the kitchen, or, even worse, not stuff the manicotti properly for balanced bites. Here's where Matthew Cutolo, third-generation Italian-American chef at Gargiulo's Restaurant in Coney Island, Brooklyn, comes in to share his expertise on the matter.

"While you can fill the manicotti with a spoon, I find it easiest to use a piping bag," Cutolo explains. "If you don't have one on hand, fill a plastic bag with the filling and cut off the corner." A spoon is a classic way to fill manicotti, and you can start with both ends so that it's filled as evenly as possible. However, just as when you make pastries, like homemade cannolis, a piping bag with or without a tip is easier and can make less of a mess. It'll also make it less likely to tear or break the shells while you fill them.

Consider our classic manicotti or vegan tofu manicotti recipes if your family doesn't already have a go-to for the dish. When the filling is ready, grab a piping bag. If you want to use a tip, place that in the bottom of the bag first, but you can skip this tool for manicotti for less clean up. Place the piping bag in a Bain Marie or a tall drinking glass, then use a spatula or spoon to fill it. Don't fill the bag more than about 75% of the way, because you need space to place your hand to fill the manicotti shells. Put enough of the filling into each manicotti so that it's even, which should be about three tablespoons worth.

If you don't have a piping bag on hand, Matthew Cutolo's second option of a plastic bag is a solid workaround. Use a plastic bag that's big enough to hold all of the filling. Don't forget to cut a slit in one corner of the bag to use as the piping hole. Use the plastic bag in the same way you would use a piping bag to fill each manicotti before they go into the baking dish. And if all else fails and a spoon is the only option, opt for one that isn't too big, or it might break the manicotti when you try to stuff in the filling.