Roasted Garlic, Tomatoes Fill Manicotti With Flavor

On cool days when you crave a satisfying, Italian-style meal made without meat, try Roasted Garlic and Cheese Manicotti with Roasted Tomatoes.

The dish requires several steps to prepare, but your efforts will be rewarded with robust flavors that fill you up, but don’t pack on pounds. Just 17 percent of the total calories in each serving come from fat.

Roasting gives garlic and tomatoes an entirely different flavor. Garlic becomes much mellower, and roasted tomatoes bring a sweeter, richer flavor to the dish.

You can roast the garlic in advance and store it tightly covered in the refrigerator up to three days. Or you can buy commercial roasted garlic paste in most supermarkets - it doesn’t taste as sweet as homemade, but it’s an acceptable substitute. And if you run out of time to roast the tomatoes, just substitute your favorite brand of low-fat pasta sauce.

Roasted Garlic and Cheese Manicotti With Roasted Tomatoes

Nonstick cooking spray

1 (8-ounce) box manicotti, cooked according to package directions

1 head garlic, roasted (see note)

1 (30-ounce) carton fat-free ricotta cheese

4 ounces shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (1 cup, packed), divided use

2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (1 cup, not packed), divided use

2/3 ounce fresh basil leaves, chopped (1 bunch)

1 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

1 teaspoon salt (optional)

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon dried basil leaves

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 egg, separated

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 cup skim milk

1-1/2 pounds Roma tomatoes, roasted, or 2 cups low-fat pasta sauce (see note)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a large baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

Cook the manicotti according to package directions. Drain and arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Set aside.

In the bowl of a food processor or blender, combine the roasted garlic, ricotta cheese, half the mozzarella cheese and half the Parmesan cheese; puree. Add fresh basil, parsley, salt, pepper, dried basil, nutmeg, egg white and lemon juice and puree again. Using a spoon or a pastry bag without a tip, fill the cooked pasta tubes with half the filling. Place the filled tubes in the prepared baking dish.

Puree the remaining half of the filling with the reserved egg yolk and the skim milk; it should be thin enough to pour. Pour over the prepared pasta tubes. Top with the chopped roasted tomatoes or the prepared pasta sauce. Top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the cheese topping is brown.

Yield: 6 servings.

Nutrition information per serving, using roasted tomatoes: 395 calories, 8.2 grams fat (17 percent fat calories), 38 grams protein, 47 grams carbohydrate, 57 milligrams cholesterol, 792 milligrams sodium.

Note: To roast garlic, rub off as much of the papery husk as possible. Slice off 1/4 inch of the pointed top of the garlic. Place in a small, oven-proof dish; add 2 tablespoons of water. Cover dish with aluminum foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 45 minutes, or until the individual cloves are soft and cream colored. Cool. Squeeze each clove of garlic out of the husk. Makes about 2 tablespoons.

To roast tomatoes, slice off the stem end of each tomato. Slice each tomato in half from end to end; squeeze gently to remove seeds. Lightly coat a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Place the tomatoes, cut side down, on the baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the skin is lightly charred. Allow to cool slightly. Peel off skin and chop flesh. Reserve any juices and combine with chopped tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Makes about 1-1/2 cups.

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