Cooking Macaroni – the Before and After Story

If it’s Italian-style food you like, these delectable dishes need not be off-limits to the person counting calories. Manicotti are extra-large grooved macaroni filled in this instance with a well-seasoned beef-cheese-tomato stuffing.

Go-alongs include a salad of lettuce, carrot and cauliflower tossed with low-calorie Italian dressing (4 small lettuce leaves, ½ medium carrot, ¼ cup raw cauliflower, 1 tbsp. dressing) 1 slice lightly garlic-buttered Italian bread and 1 cup fresh pineapple.

• ¾ pound ground round steak
• 1 cup cream-style small curd cottage cheese (8 ozs.)
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 cups tomatoes (1 lb. can)
• ¾ cup tomato paste (6-oz. can)
• 2 tsp. leaf basil
• 1/8 tsp. pepper
• 18 enriched manicotti (about 8 ozs.)
• 2 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese

Brown meat, stirring frequently to break into small pieces. Remove from heat. Add cottage cheese, garlic and 1 tsp. salt, mixing well. Cover and refrigerate while preparing sauce. Combine tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, pepper and remaining 1 tsp. salt in saucepan. Bring to boiling point and simmer gently, uncovered, until slightly thickened, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, cook manicotti in boiling, salted water until almost tender, about 20 minutes. Drain. Let stand until cool enough to handle. Fill loosely with meat mixture, using about 2 heaping teaspoons per tube. Arrange in lightly greased 2½ quart casserole or 8 x 12 inch baking dish. Pour tomato sauce over filled manicotti. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over sauce. Bake in moderate oven (350 degrees F.) 25 to 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Serves 4 to 6.