Sue Palladino of Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, learned to make many Italian specialties from her husband's family, including a sublime manicotti that uses thin crepes, or crespelle, to enclose the cheese filling. An enthusiastic cook, Ms. Palladino has always treated her husband and family to made-from-scratch meals. But after her husband's heart attack in 1994, she began to adapt her family's favorite Italian recipes to their new way of life and asked EatingWell for help in coming up with a more healthful version of manicotti.

Makes 6 servings

ACTIVE TIME: 1 hour

TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 20 minutes

EASE OF PREPARATION: Challenging

Crespelle
5 large egg whites
1 1/3 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Filling & Sauce
2 large eggs
2 cups part-skim ricotta cheese (20 ounces)
2/3 cup fine dry breadcrumbs
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup slivered fresh basil leaves
5 cups prepared marinara sauce
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (1/2 ounce)

1. To make crespelle: Whisk egg whites in a medium bowl until frothy. Add water and salt; whisk until blended. Gradually whisk in whole-wheat and all-purpose flours until the batter is smooth.
2. Heat a seasoned crepe pan over medium-high heat until a drop of water dances on the surface. Rub it with a paper towel dipped in a little oil before cooking each crepe. Ladle 2 tablespoons batter into the pan and tilt to coat the bottom evenly. (The crespella should be thin; if the batter is too thick, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons more water.) Cook until the underside is light golden, 15 to 30 seconds. Turn over and cook until the second side is golden, about 15 seconds longer. Slide the crespella onto a plate. Repeat with the remaining batter, stacking the crespelle as they are cooked. (You should have about 18 crespelle.) Cover them loosely with plastic wrap and set aside.
3. To make filling and assemble manicotti: Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk eggs in a medium bowl until frothy. Add ricotta, breadcrumbs, parsley and salt and mix well.
4. Stir basil into tomato sauce. Spread about 2 tablespoons of the tomato sauce in each of two 9-by-13-inch or similar large, shallow baking dishes. Spread 2 tablespoons of filling down the center of each crespella; roll up and arrange in a row in the baking dishes. Spoon the rest of the tomato sauce over the filled crespelle. Bake until the sauce is bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 395 calories; 14 g fat (6 g sat, 5 g mono); 103 mg cholesterol; 41 g carbohydrate; 24 g protein; 5 g fiber; 842 mg sodium; 365 mg potassium.


Nutrition bonus: Vitamin C (70% daily value), Selenium (54% dv), Vitamin A (45% dv), Calcium (35% dv), Iron (25% dv).

2 1/2 Carbohydrate Servings