I've been making homemade Manicotti since I was 8 years old. My Mom taught me and her Great Aunt taught her. I have never eaten those long hard shells they sell in a box. I also use a griddle to make the crepe but I was taught to use the back of a spoon to spread out and we never called it a crepe it was a pancake although it really is very similar to a crepe and nothing like a pancake. It's just what my family called them because we'd make them first and freeze and then as it got closer to the holidays make the filling, roll and bake with homemade "gravy" (tomato sauce) on top.
The few times I've made crepes the batter was thinner and I swirled it around in a small frying pan so the technique for making manicotti in our family is quite different than making a crepe.
When I get around to it I will post my family recipe.
