Homemade Ravioli

My first shot at Ravioli!

One day I was at the grocery store and decided I wanted to buy some egg roll wrappers to make some spring rolls. I had always wanted to make my own and figured we would give it a try. However, as the week progressed I decided I wasn't really in the mood for spring rolls or any Chinese for that matter. So, the wrappers sat in the refrigerator, staring me in the face every time I open the door. As the expiration date neared, I knew I had to do something with them. One Sunday afternoon, I decided I would make "homemade" Ravioli. While the wrappers weren't homemade, the rest would be!

I looked in the pantry, freezer, and refrigerator to see what I could find. I decided to make a vegetarian version and a meat version. I had made some white beans earlier that week and didn't need all of them at the time, so I figured I would use that as the base of the filling (killing two birds with one stone, because if I didn't use the beans, they would also have to be thrown in the garbage). I got out my food processor and started working. I am not positive on the recipe or measurements, but the filling consisted of white beans, spinach, multiple Italian seasonings, onion, and fresh garlic. For the meat version, I added some (cooked) turkey sausage links, and for the vegetarian version, I added some broccoli (those of you who know me know that I can't get enough broccoli!).

As for the wrappers, they were to large to use as is, so I cut them all in half. I then sat down with the ingredients and a bowl of water to assemble. In the center of each sheet I placed some filling in the lower half of the center of the wrapper and topped it with a slice from some mozzarella string cheese. I then dipped my finger in the water and outlined the filling. Next, I folded the wrapper over, making a sandwich with the filling. I wet my finger again and sealed it shut. To let the ravioli dry and seal, I placed it on some wax paper. About 30 raviolis or so later, I was ready to cook them.

I placed a large stock pot full of water on a stove and heated it until boiling. I then dropped 3-4 raviolis in the pot at a time and lowered the heat to about 7 to 8. I let the raviolis boil for about 3-4 minutes, or until the wrappers looked cooked (you can tell just by looking at them). I used a slotted spoon to remove each ravioli and then ran it under cold water to stop the cooking process. I continued this until all the raviolis were cooked.

Serve the raviolis warm with your favorite tomato sauce, Italian side salad, and crust bread with olive oil!