Green Pea and Mascarpone Ravioli

FILLINGS:



Green Pea and Mascarpone

Mascarpone is a thick, creamy Italian cheese, softer than cream cheese and with a mellower flavour. Kids tend to love it, and it gets along with other ingredients very well. Green peas make a delicious match, and are high in fibre, vitamins A and C, thiamin and folic acid. Bonus: there’s probably already a bag of peas in your freezer.


1 cup (250 mL) frozen peas

1 cup (250 mL) mascarpone or light cream cheese

salt and pepper to taste

1. In a small pot, simmer peas in just enough water to cover them for six to seven minutes, or until tender. Set aside to cool.
2. Once cooled, drain and purée the peas with mascarpone, salt and pepper to taste in the bowl of a food processor, or mash with a fork until it’s as chunky or smooth as you like.
   

ASSEMBLE THE RAVIOLI

1 pkg. wonton wrappers, thawed

2–3 cups (500–750 mL) fillings

Sauce: tomato sauce, pesto, browned butter or oil, alfredo sauce

1. Fill a small dish with water.
2. Take one or two wonton wrappers
   out at a time, keeping the rest in the package or covered with a tea
   towel so that they don’t dry out. Lay them on a clean, dry surface and
   place a spoonful of filling onto the middle of each wrapper.
3. Dip your finger into the water and
   use it to moisten two adjoining edges. Fold the wonton over to form a
   triangle, pressing out any air bubbles (so that they don’t turn into
   floatation devices in the pot of boiling water), and press to seal.
4. Repeat with the remaining wontons
   and filling. If you want to turn your ravioli into tortellini, moisten
   the two corners at the base of the triangle, bring them together and
   pinch them to seal.
   

EAT RIGHT AWAY:

Bring a large pot of salted
water to a boil. Gently drop in as many as you want to cook, making
sure not to crowd the pot, and boil for five to six minutes, until they
float to the surface. Remove them from the water with a slotted spoon
and drain them well. Top with any sauce you like.



OR FREEZE FOR LATER:

Arrange uncooked ravioli in
a single layer on a baking sheet or tuck them into ice cube trays, then
freeze. Then transfer them to freezer bags to store for up to six
months. Boil from frozen.






Published May 2010