Alternative Tastes

When trying to think up a recipe to go along with a Cabernet Sauvignon, I thought up a creative ravioli recipe. I’ve tried ravioli before making them using wanton wrappers. So, after I designed the recipe, I entered it into the Tyler Florence Wines Ultimate Food & Wine Experience. 

Now, that it has been entered, I need YOUR VOTE!! Please vote for my Italian Ravioli with Pesto. The Recipe is listed there, and I have listed it here as well. Such a fantastic dish to be served with a great wine like Tyler Florence Wines’ Cabernet Sauvignon. 

So, PLEASE VOTE for my tasty Italian Ravioli with Pesto. Go to site by clicking on photo above and VOTE! It’s on page 2 of the Cabernet Sauvignon Tab! Thanks for Your Support!!

 Italian Ravioli with Pesto

Serves: 4 – 6 servings (30 wontons)

Prep Time: 35 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

Pesto:

6 ounces jarred sun-dried tomatoes, drained

2 ounces dried porcini mushrooms

6 ounces white button mushrooms, chopped

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

2 garlic cloves

3 Tablespoons chopped walnuts

2 green onions, chopped

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons tomato paste

1/3 cup canned Italian seasoned crushed tomatoes

2/3 cup olive oil

1/2 cup grated Parmesan and Romano cheese

couple pinches both salt and ground black pepper

Wonton Ingredients:

1/2 cup jarred roasted red peppers, drained and diced

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tablespoons finely chopped basil leaves

1/2 pound sliced Italian Bresaola, sliced into thin 1-inch strips

1 pound package round wonton wrappers (60 wonton wrappers)

1 egg plus 1 Tablespoon water, whisked for egg wash

Instructions:

Create pesto. Place sun-dried tomatoes and dried mushrooms in a bowl and cover with warm water for 15 minutes, or until tender. Remove sun-dried tomatoes and mushrooms from water and place in a food processor or blender. Add basil, parsley, garlic, nuts and onions; process until well blended. Add vinegar, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes and process. Stir in olive oil and grated cheese. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set aside until ready to serve.

Create wontons.In a large saute pan bring heavily salted water to a boil. Reduce the heat slightly to a gentle boil.

Assemble the ravioli: Put a wonton wrapper on a clean dry working surface and brush the entire wrapper with egg wash. (Keep the remaining wonton wrappers covered while working to prevent them from drying out.) In a medium bowl, mix peppers, ricotta, garlic, and basil together. Put a few pieces of beef in the center of each wrapper then add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of ricotta mixture on top. Gently stretch another wonton over top to cover, connecting the edges of the wrappers, press to secure. Gently lift, cup hands over filling to release any air inside, pinch around the rim to secure and put on a plate or large flat dish. Repeat with remaining wontons.

Cook the wontons: Gently put a batch of wontons in the boiling water, turn over half way through cooking and remove after about 5 minutes. Repeat for all wontons.

Serve warm ravioli equally in bowls with pesto sauce spooned over wontons. (Pesto can be warmed in microwave or on stove top for a few minutes if desired.)