Butternut Ricotta Ravioli

I vowed never to make pasta again after my horrific attempt to make these with pasta dough from scratch for a dinner party a few years ago. Bad bad idea. They all ripped apart and all the filling stayed in the boiling water while I was left with empty pockets. That is, until I discovered these wonton wrappers. They are so versatile! From dumplings to egg rolls to rangoons to ravioli. These pre-made wrappers made a world of difference. They stuck together with just a dab of water and didn't fall apart. The trick is to put just an inch or two of water in your pot, not covering the ravioli's entirely, and watch them closely over a slow boil. I boiled them in batches and only put 4 or 5 ravioli's at a time in a single layer until soft, 3 or 4 minutes. The filling is roasted butternut squash blended with ricotta, parmesan and lemon juice. You can put any type of filling, the combinations are endless. Enjoy!

Butternut Ricotta Ravioli

1 package wonton wrappers

1 medium butternut squash

1 cup ricotta, I used light

1/3 cup parmesan

juice of half lemon

salt and pepper to taste

1 Halve the butternut and scoop out the seeds. Roast in 400 degree oven, skin side up for about 30-45 minutes until tender.

2 Once cooled, scoop out the flesh into a large mixing bowl. Add ricotta, parmesan, lemon juice and mix all together until uniform.

3 Take two wrappers and lay them side by side on a clean surface. With a dab of water on your finger, outline the edge of one of the wrappers and place 1 teaspoon of filling in the center. Take the second wrapper and place on top of the filling, pressing around the mound of filling gently to get all of the air out. The water acts as a glue, so press the edges of the wrappers so they will stick together without any air trapped inside. Repeat this process until all the wrappers are filled.

4 Bring a few inches of water in a pot to a slow boil. Gently place 4 or 5 ravioli's into the water and cover. Watch them closely so they don't tear apart. Check on them every few minutes, you will be able to tell when they are done. With a slotted spoon, carefully remove each ravioli one at a time onto a pan where they can be on a single layer, not overlapping. I used a roasting pan.

5 Finish with your favorite sauce. I used parmesan and parsley as a simple garnish and it was delicious!