Crazy Good Eggplant Parmesan Ravioli

 

While looking for tasty and easy vegetarian entrée recipes on one of Rachael Ray’s websites, I found a real gem.  Rachael’s recipe for Eggplant Parmesan Ravioli is crazy good!  I was initially a little intimidated by the thought of making ravioli.  This amazingly delicious ravioli is surprisingly easy, made with wonton wrappers.  To help you with any preparation jitters, I have included lots of photos. 

I made a few modifications to the original recipe.  Rachael recommended three eggplants, totaling one and a half pounds.  I used one medium eggplant, and I have no idea how much it weighed.  I reduced the amounts of the remaining ingredients also.  I just wasn’t sure if I’d like the recipe, so decided to make a small batch.  My version made 12 raviolis, enough for three servings.  I've also made larger raviolis, using a full wonton sheet.  

 

Ingredients

1 medium eggplant

Olive oil

2 cloves garlic

½ cup/2 oz Mozzarella cheese

1/3 cup Parmesan cheese

½ pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved

6 large wonton wrappers

salt

 

Steps

 

1.  Peel eggplant and cut in large cubes.  Transfer in batches to food processor, and pulse to finely chop. 

 

2.  Brown eggplant with one clove of crushed or minced garlic in olive oil in a hot skillet.  Rachael said 1 ½ tablespoons of olive oil for 3 eggplants, and brown for about 10 minutes.  This was not nearly enough oil, nor nearly enough time.  Eggplant really absorbs oil. 

I cooked my eggplant, transferring to a bowl at the point you see in the photo.  The taste and texture however just did not seem “done”, so I took it back to the pan.  It reduced down further, and looked a lot like ground beef.  I probably cooked my eggplant for a total of 30 minutes. 

Once cooked, set aside eggplant to cool.  I cooked my eggplant, cooled, and refrigerated.  I made my ravioli two days later. 

 

 

3.  Gather remaining ingredients.  Mix ½ cup Mozzarella and ¼ cup Parmesan cheese with eggplant.  Wash and halve tomatoes.  I used orange Zima grape tomatoes and champagne cherry tomatoes. 

 

4.  I used large wonton/eggroll wrappers, and cut them in half.  Use water, and wet the edges of the wrapper with your finger, a small basting brush, or a spray bottle.

 

 

5.  Place a spoonful of eggplant and cheese mixture onto wonton pasta. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6.  Fold over to seal, squeezing out as much air as possible. 

7.  Continue making raviolis, placing on a pan covered with parchment paper or plastic wrap.  You can freeze them like this.   Below is a photo of larger raviolis, made with a full wonton sheet folded in half.

8.  Drop raviolis, about 4 at a time, into boiling salted water.  Make sure you use a large enough pan, and stir gently to make sure the raviolis do not stick to the pan, or to each other.  I say this from a bad experience with my beet raviolis.  Cook for about 4 minutes.  They will float to the top.  Dip out with slotted spoon to drain.  Place 3-4 raviolis per serving bowl. 

 

 

9.  Heat olive oil in skillet.  Add one clove crushed or minced garlic and tomatoes.  Salt to taste.  Cook 3 to 5 minutes until tomatoes are softened.  Stir in ½ cup of pasta cook water. 

 

10.  Spoon tomato sauce over raviolis.  Add a little traditional pasta sauce if desired.  Sprinkle with grated Parmesan.