This make-ahead, Homemade Manicotti is beyond delicious with an Italian sausage marinara and tender melt-in-your-mouth pasta.
Add fire-roasted tomatoes and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer and cook for 15 minutes until sauce is beginning to thicken.
Combine ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, basil (or parsley), salt and pepper in a medium-size bowl. Stir until well combined. Set aside.
Whisk eggs together then add all ingredients together and whisk until smooth. Consistency will be like heavy cream.
Place about ⅙ of the filling (a large rounded tablespoonful) onto the lower end of one of the pasta rounds. Spread filling in an even layer across the circle (see picture above in the post). Bring the lower end of the circle over the filling and roll into a tube shape. Place pasta tube on top of meat sauce in the pan.
Repeat with remaining pasta rounds, snuggling the filled pasta next to each other on top of the meat sauce.
Top with 2 cups of shredded Mozzarella.
Preheat oven to 350˚F. Tent manicotti with foil so that foil is not touching cheeses. Bake for 45 minutes then remove foil and continue baking for another 10-15 minutes (until cheese is beginning to brown at the edges). Allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped fresh basil or parsley, if desired.