Recipe: Ricotta Cheese Wonton Ravioli

Ricotta Cheese Wonton Ravioli

4 servings

I follow the same procedure here as I did with the Shrimp Wonton Ravioli (in the book), but fill the ravioli with a ricotta cheese mixture and serve them with a light dressing-like sauce. These make an excellent first course.

Cheese Filling

1 cup ricotta cheese (8 ounces)
1 egg
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
24 wonton wrappers, 3 inches square

Sauce

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons fresh or frozen homemade chicken stock
(see Basic Chicken Stock, in the book) or canned chicken broth

Mix the ricotta, egg, Parmesan, salt, pepper, and parsley together in a bowl.

Lay 12 of the wonton wrappers out on a flat work surface, and wet them lightly around the edges by brushing with a little water. Divide the cheese mixture among the wrappers, mounding approximately 1 tablespoon in the center of each. Cover with the remaining wrappers, aligning them with the squares beneath, and press gently around the edges to seal.

Bring 3 to 4 quarts of water to a strong boil in a large saucepan. Carefully place the filled wontons in the boiling water, moving them gently at first so they don't stick to the bottom of the pan. After a minute or so they will float to the top. Continue boiling gently for about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, pepper, salt, and chicken stock in a bowl, and stir well.

Drain the ravioli and serve three per person, with a little sauce drizzled on top.

Note: The ravioli can be filled and cooked ahead of time; after draining them, submerge in a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking. Then drain again, and set aside in a single layer. Reheat in a microwave oven, or very quickly in boiling water, just before serving with the sauce.

It only takes a minute to prepare the delicious dressing-like sauce that is served with these ravioli.

Buy the Book!

The Short-Cut Cook
By Jacques Pépin
Morrow Cookbooks/HarperCollins Publishers 2001
Paperback; 288 pages
$18.00; $29.95(CAN)
ISBN: 0060936924
Recipe reprinted by permission.