Almost Homemade Ravioli

Did I mention my kids love spinach?  Well they did, when they were eating it off a spoon piloted by yours truly. But then they decided to take matters into their own hands and my lovely spinach puree went out the door.  I have been trying to come up with a spinach finger food ever since.  (PS.  if you have any other ideas, let me know!) Here's what I came up with- and yes, they still love spinach.



Don't be scared! We aren't making pasta.  Haven't gotten the KitchenAid attachment yet ;)  This recipe uses wonton wrappers instead; you can find them in the refrigerated section at the grocery store.  They were super easy to use.

Spinach and Ricotta Ravioli - adapted from Giada De Laurentis' Prosciutto Ravioli
15 oz of whole milk ricotta cheese
1 (10 oz) package of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
2 large egg yolks
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
48 wonton wrappers...or so.  1 package will be plenty

Whisk together the first 5 ingredients in a medium size bowl.  Filling done.  Next lay out some wonton wrappers on a baking sheet and put about 1 Tbsp of filling in the center of each square.  I used a small ice cream type scoop for that.  The same one I use for cookie dough, makes it go much quicker with a lot less mess.  Fill a small bowl with a bit of water.  Using your finger, dip into the water then trace the edges of a wrapper.  Fold the wrapper in half like a triangle and then pinch the sides to seal it.  Try to make sure you get all the air out of the pocket as you are sealing it.  Continue on until you run out of filling!

To cook the ravioli, boil them in salted water for about four minutes.  It's best to boil them in batches so you don't crowd them.  Serve these with your favorite pasta sauce!  Since Aaron doesn't do well with tomatoes still, I used the butter sauce in Giada's original recipe.

Hmm, what is this?

Who cares?  Just shove it in there like this!

How-To Tuesday! Ricotta Cheese

You might not guess it but Ricotta Cheese is so easy to make!  All you need is some milk, cream, and vinegar or lemon juice.  The result is so fresh and creamy; it really puts the store bought stuff to shame!  This is a great  way to amp up your favorite lasagna recipe...or maybe the ravioli recipe I'm posting tomorrow?

Fresh Ricotta Cheese - adapted from Epicurious.com
2 quarts whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp salt
3 Tbsp. white vinegar

In a large pot over medium heat, slowly bring the milk, cream and salt to a boil.  Stir occasionally.  Meanwhile, line a colander with cheesecloth and put it into a clean sink.  Once the milk is boiling, add the vinegar and reduce the heat to low.  While stirring, allow the pot to simmer until curds begin to form.  That takes only about 2 minutes!  At that point remove the pot from heat and pour it into the colander.  Let the cheese drain for about an hour.

Gather the cheese cloth together above the curds and twist to squeeze out any remaining liquid.  Put the ricotta into a storage container with lid and keep it in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it.  It only keeps for about two days so use it soon!

If you are a big fan of Indian food like Alex and I, once drained, press the cheese into the bottom of a square storage container.  When it is cold cut it into cubes....homemade paneer!  You can brown the paneer in a frying pan with a  little oil and serve it with some Tikka Masala sauce and rice for a great vegetarian dinner.