When making manicotti or stuffed shells, why does the cheese comes out too soft?

Question

What am I doing wrong, using too much mozzarella or too much ricotta? or is it the parmagiana?

Answer 1

Did you add a beaten egg?, If not that can account for running of filling. Did you drain your shells well too? It would also make a difference if your ricotta was on the thin side, or you went to heavy on it as it does contain moisture too. It is very unlikely it was caused by the mozzarella or parmigiana as they tend to be dryer.

Answer 2

I would say too much ricotta. That is the softest of the 3 cheese you are using. Also, don't over-stuff the pasta. Heat makes things expand, so the cheese probably expands when it is baked. So, if the shell is stuffed to the limit prior to putting it in the oven, the heat can cause the cheese to expand and run out of the shell.

Not that I know this from experience, mind you. I'm just guessing based on what I know about cheese and heat. Cheese & Heat. Sounds like a good name for a band...

Answer 3

You can stuff the shells or manicotti with a meat mixture, or stir some of the meat (usually sausage) into the ricotta and stuff it in the shells or manicotti. It would also be good if you just browned the meat and added it to the sauce. You could stuff half with meat, and half with cheese. For the meat stuffing, brown your ground beef with onions and garlic, season with italian spices and stuff it in the shells.

Answer 4

Its really hard to say when you dont give the amounts. Here's a recipe you should try. It should come out perfectly. Hope you like it. It may also help you adjust the amounts in your own recipe.

* 1 (8 ounce) package manicotti pasta
* 16 ounces ricotta cheese
* 6 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
* 6 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese
* 2 tablespoons sour cream
* 1/3 cup dried bread crumbs, seasoned
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
* salt and pepper to taste
* 2 cups spaghetti sauce

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente, drain.
3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine ricotta cheese, 4 ounces mozzarella cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, sour cream, bread crumbs, parsley and salt and pepper to taste; mix well.
4. In a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, spray dish with non-stick cooking spray and cover bottom of dish with a thin film of spaghetti sauce.
5. Fill each manicotti with cheese mixture and place in dish; cover with remaining sauce. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella cheese on top of sauce.
6. Bake in preheated oven uncovered for 40 minutes; serve.

Answer 5

The ingredients you are using are not the problem. I like to put my ricotta in a colander over a bowl covered with plastic wrap overnight in the fridge to rid the cheese of the excess water. If you can leave it in the fridge for 24 hours that is even better. You will get a firmer filling this way.

FYI: It is not that you are using too much ricotta. If you follow the steps I gave you above...trust me...it will be great.

Answer 6

I like using a mixture of parmesan and ricotta (or sometimes even cottage cheese). I find adding an egg helps it bind together better too. Perhaps you could even throw some italian bread crumbs in to improve the taste and keep it more firm. Save your mozzarella for topping the dish when its finished cooking.

Answer 7

You're probably using too much Ricotta Cheese. It has a softer base than the mozzerella. Maybe cut back by a tablespoon and see if that works. Good luck!

Answer 8

I make this dish allot but I need a better description of your problem to help you. Do you mean your cheese is too runny?

Answer 9

You might not be baking it long enough for the moisture to evaporate ... you can also mix in one egg per cup of ricotta to bind it together.

Answer 10

neither it should leak its not a problem i am a chef :P so just scoop it up and eat it it still tastes GREAT but cook it more cuz it should be soft but let it leak a bit