SAUCE:

1/3 c. olive or salad oil
1 1/2 c. finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 (2 lb. 3 oz.) can Italian tomatoes, undrained
2 (6 oz.) cans tomato paste
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 lb. lean ground beef
2 tbsp. chopped parsley
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. dried oregano leaves
1 tsp. dried basil leaves
1/4 tsp. pepper

MANICOTTI:

6 eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 c. flour
1/4 tsp. salt

FILLING:

2 lb. ricotta cheese
1 (8 oz.) pkg. Mozzarella cheese, diced
1/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tbsp. chopped parsley
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese

TO MAKE SAUCE: In hot oil in 5-quart Dutch oven, saute onion and garlic until tender. Remove from pan and put in ground beef. Brown beef and drain off grease. Return onion and garlic to pan and mix in rest of sauce ingredients and 1 1/2 cups water, mashing tomatoes with fork. Bring to boiling, and reduce heat. Simmer mixture, covered and stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.

TO MAKE MANICOTTI: In medium bowl, combine 6 eggs, the flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 1/2 cups water; with electric mixer, beat just until smooth. Let stand 1/2 hour or longer. Slowly heat an 8-inch skillet (if not using a skillet with a non-stick surface, brush skillet lightly with butter for each manicotti).

Pour in 3 tablespoons batter, rotating the skillet quickly to spread batter evenly over bottom. Cook over medium heat until top is dry but bottom is not brown. Turn out on a wire rack to cool. Continue cooking until all of the batter is used. As the manicotti cool, stack them with waxed paper between them. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

TO MAKE FILLING: In large bowl, combine ricotta, Mozzarella, 1/3 cup Parmesan, the eggs, salt, pepper, and parsley; beat with wooden spoon to blend well. Spread about 1/4 cup filling down the center of each manicotti, and roll up. Spoon 1 1/2 cups sauce into a 9x13 inch baking dish.

Begin making a layer of filled, rolled manicotti on bottom of pan (seam side down). Make 2 layers and cover with remaining sauce; sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake, uncovered, 1/2 hour, or until bubbly.