Here is a variation of THE recipe I won finalist on the Food Network's Ultimate Recipe Showdown on season 1. This recipe adds baby spinach to the ricotta filling. The highlight of my life was to have been chosen to compete in California for the top prize in the PASTA category. I did not win the $25,000 but did come away with an experience I will cherish. Being in a TV studio and making a TV show for the Food Network was a tingling experience for me. The judges thought this recipe was "too cheesy". Now what's in Manicotti?...cheese. None of the judges were Italian! This recipe is my family's old Italian standard with homemade crespelle as the pasta and a quick marinara sauce topping just enough to cover....not too much! As you can see the topping is not overpowered with mozzarella and sauce. The delicacy of the crespelle show through to make a melt-in-your mouth kinda dish to serve for a crowd. I like to bake the Manicotti in individual baking dishes but for a crowd use the biggest baking dish you have. Mangia!

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