Balsamic Ravioli
Time: 25 minutes
Serves: 4-6 as a main dish for dinner
Inspired by: Rachael Ray. I don’t watch much TV so I miss a lot of the great cooking shows – although I may want to start watching more of them. Caught some snippets once of Rachael Ray making this a couple of years ago and tried it and loved it and everyone else seems to love it too. This may not be her exact recipe, but it’s very close.
Ingredients:
- Two packages of fresh ravioli (I like “The Pasta Shop” Porcini & Truffle or Butternut Squash or Sweet Onion and Red Chard or any of those fancy, fun fresh raviolis). The size and shape do not matter. The packages I buy say that they serve 2-4 people.
- 1/2 – 3/4 cup chopped parsley
- 1/2 – 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2-3 tablespoons salted butter
Preparation:
- Heat a large pot of water for cooking the ravioli. Add some olive oil so the raviolis don’t stick to each other.
- In a large sauté pan, on medium to medium-low heat, drop in 2-3 tablespoons of very cold butter and let it melt and brown.
- While you are waiting, it’s a good time to wash, destem and chop your parsley and grate your cheese.
- When the water boils, cook your ravioli according to instructions (usually about 6-7 minutes). Stir now and then so they don’t stick to each other. Drain in a colander when done.
- Put the ravioli in the pan with the browned butter, turn up the heat to medium high and toss in the butter.
- Add the balsamic – it will sizzle. Toss the ravioli in the butter and balsamic and watch it begin to caramelize. If you want your raviolis to get a bit crispy you can turn up the heat even more – just toss them often so they don’t burn. This process takes about 5 minutes or so.
- In a separate bowl, toss the ravioli with the parsley and Parmesan and serve.
Notes: Using fresh ravioli with a yummy filling is key, but the browned butter and caramelized balsamic is also what makes these awesome. For parties, you can let these cool to room temperature and then line them up on a plate and serve with large toothpicks or skewers. They are good hot, warm, room temperature, and even cold out of the refrigerator the next day (if they last that long!).
Wine Suggestions: I like these with a high-acid, crisp white wine such as a Chablis, White Burgundy or Gruner Veltliner. But if I do them with a Porcini filling, then a yummy Red Burgundy is fabulous!
