From Moonstruck · 1987 · Reconstructed
Manicotti
Serve when
Serve it as the safe substitute — the waiter steers Johnny off the oily fish and onto this instead, right before the ring comes out.
In the movie
Theatrical
- 00:04:45 The waiter warns Johnny off the oily fish before a transatlantic flight — 'OK, we'll have the manicotti, Bobo... that'll give you a base for your stomach' — moments before Johnny proposes marriage across the table
It's the most practical order in the whole film: Johnny wants the "special fish," but Bobo the waiter talks him out of it — oily fish before a transatlantic flight is a bad idea, and manicotti will "give you a base for your stomach." Johnny takes the advice and, a few minutes later, proposes to Loretta anyway, ring and all, over a meal chosen for its digestive properties rather than romance. This is a reconstruction of a standard baked manicotti — the film names the dish but never shows or publishes the actual recipe used.
Ingredients
Method
- Cook the manicotti tubes just until pliable (they'll finish in the oven), then drain and cool.
- Beat the ricotta with the egg, half the mozzarella, half the parmesan, the parsley, and a pinch of nutmeg.
- Spread a layer of marinara in a baking dish. Pipe or spoon the ricotta filling into each tube and lay them over the sauce. A zip-top bag with a corner snipped off makes filling the tubes painless.
- Cover with the remaining marinara and the rest of the mozzarella and parmesan.
- Bake at 375°F, covered, for 25 minutes, then uncover for a final 10 minutes until bubbling and golden on top.