Zucchini Ravioli

Put a pause on pasta and give these zucchini ravioli a try just in time for that zucchini explosion happening in your garden right about now!

Ingredients:

1 lb zucchini

1/2 cup tomato sauce

1/4 cup ricotta

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella, divided

2 tbsps parmesan

1 egg

1/2 tsp dry oregano

salt and pepper to taste

4 or 5 fresh chopped basil leaves 

6 or 7 spinach leaves, chopped

1 tsp finely chopped sundried tomatoes

Using a mandolin slice the zucchini lengthwise and thinly. Lay them out in a single layer and sprinkle with salt. Let rest to soften for 15 minutes then pat with paper towels. (You'll need 24 strips for this recipe. Keep any leftover zucchini for ratatouille)

Spoon 1/4 cup of tomato sauce on the bottom of an 8 X 8" baking dish.

Mix the ricotta, 2 tbsps mozzarella, parmesan, egg, oregano, about 1/4 tsp salt, pepper, basil, sundried tomato and spinach together.

Lay 2 strips of zucchini down slightly overlapping. Lay 2 more slightly overlapping to form an "X". Take a heaping tablespoon of filling a place it in the middle, then fold 2 over, turn and work around until all the zucchini is folded over the filling.

Sit each ravioli in the baking dish, seam side down, and spoon a tablespoon of sauce on top of each one along with the remaining mozzarella.

Bake at 400°F for 20-25 minutes.

Serves 2-3

Adapted from: wholesomyum.com

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Ravioli with Carrots, Walnuts and Beef

Tired of making the usual pasta sauces? Next time try your ravioli with rustic carrots, walnuts and beef. It's a nice change from marinara or alfredo.

Ingredients:

1 cup diced carrots

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsps butter

salt and pepper to taste

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1/4 tsp dry thyme

sprig of fresh rosemary

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

3/4 lb lean ground beef

1 tbsp dry onion soup mix

1/4 cup water

350 g your favourite fresh or frozen ravioli

Toss the carrots with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast in a 400°F oven for 20 minutes. Add the butter and walnuts in the last 4 or 5 minutes.

Brown the beef and onion soup mix in a skillet, breaking it up as it cooks. Add the water, rosemary, balsamic, lemon juice and thyme cooking until slightly caramelized.

Cook the ravioli as directed then drain and toss with the meat.

Serve topped with the carrot and walnut mixture and a drizzle of olive oil.

Serves 3-4

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Ravioli Sauce with Red Onion and Pesto

Fancy doesn't have to mean fussy. This pretty plate took under 30 minutes to make start to finish. Keep a bag of frozen ravioli in the freezer. Nothing wrong with dressed up store bought pasta!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion

1 tbsp finely chopped marinated hot pepper rings

1/2 cup light olive oil 

2 tbsps pesto 

Fresh parsley chopped to serve

1 1/2 lbs (700 g) fresh ravioli (I used cheese and spinach here)

Start cooking the ravioli as directed.

Heat 1 or 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a saucepan. Add red onion and sauté until softened then add the hot peppers. Stir together then add the rest of the ingredients and heat through. 

Once the ravioli is ready, drain then add to the saucepan. Stir to coat.

Plate your ravioli with lots of chopped parsley.

Serves 4

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Spinach, Snow Peas and Ravioli

If you are only going to make one pasta dish this week, make it this one.  
With a light, fresh sauce that the ravioli isn't drowning in.

500g fresh ravioli
big handful spinach, roughly chopped
15 to 20 snowpeas
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsps sundried tomatoes in oil, roughly chopped
2 tbsps olive oil
2 tbsps butter
2 tbsps lemon juice
few grinds of black pepper
sprinkle of sunflower seeds (optional)
parmesan to serve

Cook ravioli as directed on your package. I used spinach and cheese ravioli, 4 minutes was all it needed. Drain and reserve the ravioli in a bowl. You could toss with a bit of olive oil if you like.

In a large skillet heat butter and oil, and add the sundried tomatoes and snowpeas.

I sliced them lengthwise to see the little peas inside, but you could keep them whole. Stir fry about 3 minutes. Remove the peas and tomatoes from the pan to the ravioli bowl, leaving the oil/butter in the pan.

Stir the garlic into the hot oil and remove from heat almost immediately. Add the lemon juice. 
Return the ravioli etc to the skillet coating with sauce.
Finally add the spinach and parsley.

 A few grinds of fresh black pepper, some parmesan cheese and, if you are using them, sunflower seeds to top it off. Typically I think pine nuts would be used with this type of dish. But they're really expensive. Sunflower seeds added just the right bit of crunch.

Seriously yummy!

Serves 3-4