Monday, February 2, 2009

Spinach and Cheese Ravioli with Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce

This weekend I had a ton of spinach I needed to use up, so I had this wacky idea to make some ravioli with spinach stuffed inside. Not exactly "from scratch" ravioli, since that would require making my own pasta for which I have not the time, but using refrigerated won-ton wrappers. I've seen it done a lot, and I thought, How hard can it really be?

It wasn't hard, but it was time-consuming. And in the end, I just wasn't all that impressed with the results. The ravioli didn't tear too much for me, but I did find that the texture of the finished product was sort of...slimy. It was a bit unappetizing.

They tasted just fine, once I got past the texture issue; the filling was delicious, and the sauce was very flavorful. But ultimately, using won-ton wrappers just didn't impress me too much. Next time, I'll either make my own pasta, or buy some spinach-filled ravioli at the store and pair it with this sauce.

Spinach and Cheese Ravioli with Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce
Source: Cassie

1 package refrigerated won-ton wrappers
8 ounces ricotta cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, divided
1 teaspoon garlic powder
3 cups baby spinach, trimmed
1 cup heavy cream
1 jar roasted red peppers, drained
Salt and pepper to taste

1. On the stove, bring a small pot of salted water to a boil. Add spinach a cup at a time and cook just until softened; drain and squeeze dry.

2. Meanwhile, combine ricotta cheese, 1/4 cup of the parmesan cheese, garlic powder and salt and pepper to taste for the ravioli filling. Mix in spinach.

3. Top each won-ton wrapper with a tablespoon of the filling. Dab a bit of water around the filling and top with a second won-ton wrapper. Pinch around the sides to ensure that the ravioli is tightly sealed.

4. Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add salt and olive oil and reduce heat. Cook ravioli in batches of 10 for about 5 minutes; drain. It's important not to overcrowd the pot.

5. To prepare the sauce, bring heavy cream to a simmer over medium heat. Puree roasted red peppers in a food processor or blender; add to cream. Stir in the remaining 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese and salt and pepper, and simmer until sauce is thickened (do not boil).