Three Cheese Lemon Ricotta Manicotti with Tomato Sauce - The Butter Bar

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 Vidalia onion, diced
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 5-6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 28 oz can san marzano tomatoes
• 1/2 c. fresh basil
• 2 oregano sprigs
• 1 parmesan rind
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flake
• 1 tbsp. dried oregano
• salt to taste
• 8 oz. manicotti pasta shells (or use the pasta dough from the Butternut Squash Ravioli recipe, pipe the filling in, and roll into cigar shapes)
• 20 oz. whole milk ricotta cheese
• 1 c. shredded Mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 egg whisked
• 2 tbsp. minced fresh basil
• 1 tbsp. minced fresh parsley
• 1 tbsp. lemon zest
• 1 tsp. salt more or less to taste
• 1/2 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
• 1 c. torn Mozzarella cheese for topping
• 1 c. of the tomato sauce