Homemade Manicotti With Pepperoni

[The Ironic Chef]

Mama, I have several old recipes for Cataloni using the crepe method. I have always wondered what the difference between a Cantaloni and Manicotti was. I was thinking one was for meats and the other for cheese?
I saw Lidia do a mushroom crepe not to long ago that looked out of this world.

"It doesn't matter to me if I stuff round, squares or rectangles - I'll stuff anything!"

It would really be nice to have a stuffed home grown tomato right about now.

[Mama Mangia]

No set rule for stuffing either with what you want.
when I have the time I will make the crepe style -
if making several different pastas for the same meal - I roll

[The Ironic Chef]

Speaking of stuffing things Mama. I stuff egg roll wrappers with pepperoni and mozzarella cheese, roll them up and deep fry them. I don't think anything can be as unhealthy as that but they are so good dipped in a marinara sauce. They make nice little appetizers.

[Mama Mangia]

I do the same thing!

[The Ironic Chef]

Mama, do you ever use cottage cheese or are you strictly ricotta?

[Mama Mangia]

IC - I am so used to my homemade ricotta it's not funny. I love cottage cheese - but 99% of the time I am enjoying cottage cheese it is "salad" style. I love ricotta just plopped on my dish (cold) with my pasta. I love anything with ricotta - ricotta pie, ricotta cookies, ricotta pie, manicotti, ricotta pie, mezzalunas, ricotta pie, ravioli, ricotta pie, lasagna, ricotta pie - oh - did I mention - I love ricotta pie? LOL

[The Ironic Chef]

Mama, I like both. I grew up with the cottage cheese fillings but now use ricotta most of the time. I have only had a ricotta style cheese cake. The texture was a bit to grainy for my liking. I would love to see some of your recipes. I think ricotta pie that is savory would be really good. I am on a mushroom kick and I am thinking the two would go together very well.

[Mama Mangia]

I'm not one that measures for many things. I have to admit - my FAVORITE ricotta pie is a double-crusty, sweet ricotta pie, sometimes with dried fruit in it (sugar, eggs, vanilla).
I also enjoy ricotta with mushrooms, onions and spinach - including eggs, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, parsley, possibly with pancetta or ham. With or without crust - don't matter to me.
You can season the ricotta with any herbs or spices, add other cheeses, add soppressata, salami, pepperoni, eggs, etc.

[chubbyalaskagriz]

I too love ricotta in pastas... though I have never made homemade ricotta.

I love cottage cheese as well. As a salad- with tuna, or garden veggies, or in jello...

[The Ironic Chef]

I like cottage cheese plain or used as a filling in cooked items. I never was one to mix fruit into it. I just like it plain with lots of pepper or maybe with a couple slices of a fresh picked tomato.