When I first started throwing dinner parties with next-to-nothing budgets and no kitchen skills, spaghetti with tomato sauce was my go-to main course. Cheap and easy.

But if I'd had the courage to try new things, I'd have attempted a baked pasta -- lasagna, manicotti or stuffed shells. Despite my past trepidation, I've learned these are easy to make and look impressive on the plate.

Manicotti is my favorite, mainly because the large, long pasta tubes stuffed with a ricotta cheese-based filling are delicious and easy to eat. They also lend themselves to variations, such as meator vegetable-based fillings.

Manicotti can be purchased in the dry pasta aisle of the grocer, but it's not my preferred approach. Too often you get a box of broken pasta pieces. Also, filling the tubes can be a pain.

A better option is to buy fresh lasagna sheets that can be cut to size, then rolled around the filling to form tubes.

To do this, cut the pasta sheets into 4½- or 5-inch squares, depending on noodle size. Add the squares to boiling water and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.

To make the manicotti, spread about ¼ cup of filling along one edge of each pasta square. Roll the pasta tightly around the filling, then place each seam down in the pan and cover with marinara.

Since not everyone will be able to find fresh lasagna noodles, this recipe is written for dry manicotti tubes, which are widely available. If you are lucky enough to find (or are industrious enough to make) fresh lasagna, use the above method. You will need about 1 pound of fresh lasagna noodles.

The best way to get around the challenges of filling dry manicotti is to place the cheese mixture in a plastic bag, snip off one corner and inject, or pipe, it into the pasta.

Once the manicotti are filled, it's time to apply the cheese. And there's nothing worse than dense cheese globs on top of your pasta.

Use a light touch when sprinkling the cheese. Spread the cheese by moving your hand over the top of the dish as you sprinkle, creating an even layer. The goal is have a fluffy cheese topping so air can circulate through the cheese when you uncover the dish for the final minutes. This will give you a golden gratin on top instead of a burnt layer.

One of the real bonuses of baked pasta is that it reheats well. When you're ready to go for seconds, just add a light layer of sauce and cover.