I love making fresh pasta. I've got both pasta attachments for the Kitchenaid stand mixer which let me make everything from lasagne to rigatoni. Some days, I just don't feel like going to the difficulty, so I've found that wonton wrappers are a quick and easy substitute when making fresh ravioli. They're thin, which is just what I like for ravioli - it allows the flavors in the filling to shine through. And it's easy to experiment with different fillings - one of our favorites is prosciutto and sage. I've also made mushroom, plain cheese and plenty of others. This past weekend I decided on asparagus and pancetta - with cheese of course!
Asparagus and pancetta ravioli
1/3 cup diced pancetta
1/2 cup diced asparagus (see note)
1 cup whole milk ricotta
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Salt and pepper to taste
About 20-25 wonton wrappers
Note: For the asparagus.Trim the ends, then bundle the stalks together and thinly slice from the bottom - this way you can reserve the tops for another use.
In a small pan, brown the pancetta. Remove to a plate lined with a paper towel to drain.
Bring a small pan of salted water to a boil, Blanch the asparagus for about 2-3 minutes. Run under cold water and let drain.
In a bowl, combine the ricotta, egg, parmesan, cooled pancetta, asparagus and salt and pepper to taste.
Lay out the wonton wrappers on a lightly floured surface. Top each with a bit of the filling. Rub a bit of water around the edges, then fold over to seal. You can make these a few hours ahead, but dust them with flour and cover loosely with plastic wrap.
When ready to serve, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Gently add the ravioli (the wonton skins are very tender!). Let boil for a few minutes - the ravioli will rise to the top. Give them about a minute or two after tehy've risen. Scoop them out into serving plates. Top with your favorite sauce, olive oil, or anything you choose!
To make this a complete meal (which means meat for my husband), I sauteed some veal scallopine in a little butter and olive oil. I also browned some extra pancetta and blanched the asparagus tops. Before serving, I heated the pancetta and asparagus together in a pan with a little butter and olive oil. I poured this over the ravioli and topped with the veal and some fresh grated Parm. Delish!
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