"Pandora" > wrote in message
...

<some snipping for brevity>

>> Sorry I couldn't see them! The link doesn't work ((

I'm sorry the link didn't work. Here's the full URL - maybe this will work:
http://www.kraftfoods.com/recipes/Pa...Manicotti.html
There's no picture of the pasta here, but at least you can see the kind of
recipe that's commonly used in my area.

>>
> I cheat, though; I buy the prepared manicotti
>> pasta to make it easier. My favorite Italian restaurant makes the
>> manicotti pasta fresh, which is probably why it tastes so good!
>
> Oh ! You make me very curious! And how they do to make grooves on surface
> if they make by hands?

The handmade ones have no grooves - they're smooth (manicotti can be grooved
or smooth). Yes, they are similar to cannelloni, and in fact cannelloni are
often used as a substitute for manicotti. You could also use lumaconi or
conchiglioni - almost any kind of pasta that will hold a filling. Oh, I'm
getting very hungry as I type this! :-D Your paccheri look like they may
work too. Are they short or long? The longer pasta forms are better for
holding a filling, I think.

>
>> The very best Italian meal I've ever had was not in a restaurant,
>> however. My best friend's daughter-in-law is from Sicily, and she invited
>> us to her home for dinner a few years ago. I can't remember everything
>> she made, but I *do* remember it was spectacular from start to finish.
>
> Oh yes! In southern Italy they cook a lot! And all good things, especially
> fish. have you eaten "pasta con le sarde"? It is typic of Sicily.

No, I haven't had this dish; I'm not a fish lover, to tell you the truth.
I'll eat shellfish, though. Of course I go for the expensive food! :-)

> She made a
>> delicious tiramisu for dessert, served with those tiny cups of espresso.
>> The tiramisu was made with just the right amount of sweetness - not too
>> much. This woman is very talented, and she is now in culinary arts
>> school learning to be a chef. She is going to make many people happy
>> with her fabulous meals!
>
> Ohhhhh! I believe in what you say! You are very lucky to know her!

Yes, I'm very lucky to know her, but she moved 3,000 miles away a couple of
years ago, so she's making other people happy with her cooking now. <Karen
crying into her Chianti> I'll bet you're an excellent cook, too!

>>
>> Karen (who thinks she just might go to her favorite Italian restaurant
>> tonight)
>
> Eat something also for me, then ))))
> Cheers
> Pandora

OK, I will! <big smile> Actually, I'll have to wait until tomorrow night
to indulge; our weather is terrible today. It's windy and rainy, and it's
getting very cold tonight. So my husband and I have decided to wait until
tomorrow, when it'll be nicer. That's OK; good things are worth waiting
for! If you could go with us, what would you order?

Karen