Fried Pumpkin Ravioli
Sometimes I think that nature gives us warm, sweet flavors that keep in storage from fall to winter to balance the chilly days until spring. Winter squash and pumpkin have those comforting flavors, and I can’t resist enjoying them in not only pie but also in soup, bread, and even pasta. Today let’s try pumpkin raviolis two ways: regular and fried. For once, we’re going to short-cut the process by using wonton wrappers instead of homemade pasta dough, meaning you can have these little gems ready in a matter of minutes. Serve them for appetizers, or make a whole bunch for a full meal. The fried raviolis are great to pass at your Super Bowl gathering, or call them pumpkin pasties and serve them up for your next Harry Potter party. No matter how you use them, they’ll be a tasty addition to your table.
Ingredients: makes about two dozen raviolis
- 1/2 cup pumpkin or winter squash purée (home made or canned)
- 1-2 cloves roasted garlic), smashed (For great roasted garlic, bake garlic cloves, covered, at about 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Store in olive oil. If you’re feeling really lazy, substitute 1/2-1/2 teaspoon powdered garlic).
- 1 ounce grated parmesan (about 1-inch cube before grating)
- tablespoon or two of ricotta for extra creaminess
- pinch of nutmeg
- salt and pepper to taste (I confess: I used a seasoning mix called Beaverfork Blend that I get through my Locally Grown network.)
- pinch of dried sage
- package of wonton wrappers
Mix together all of the ingredients except the egg roll wrappers. Place an egg roll wrapper on your prep surface. Put about a tablespoon of pumpkin mix slightly off center in the wrapper. Using your finger, wet two adjoining edges of the wrapper. Fold over the dry side of the wrapper, encasing the pumpkin mixture.
Use a fork to gently crimp the dry edges to the wet edges. Set the wrapper aside and repeat steps with more wrappers until you have as many ravioli as you want.
For traditional boiled ravioli, slide raviolis one at a time into rapidly boiling water.
You can cook a few at a time, as long as you’re careful not to crowd the pot. They’ll cook really quickly (in about a minute and a half). Use a perforated spatula to lift raviolis from water one at a time, drain well, and serve tossed with butter, garlic, and parmesan, or make a quick creamy garlic cheese sauce from minced garlic lightly cooked in butter then cooked with cream and finished with a little cheese.
For fried ravioli, follow the same procedure as above, but instead of cooking in boiling water, heat several inches of a neutral oil that can take high heat to about 350 degrees to 375 degrees in a deep fryer or heavy Dutch oven. (If you don’t have a thermometer, you can determine when the oil is ready by pressing the tip of a wooden spoon handle or chop stick directly in the bottom of the pan. When little bubbles emanate from the tip as it’s pressed in, you’re ready to fry.) Slide each ravioli in the hot oil and let it fry on each side until golden brown. The time will be quick–no more than two minutes. Drain each ravioli and set aside to keep warm until you’re ready to serve. Garnish with fresh chopped herbs like basil or sage or just a dusting of good parmesan.
Would you like magically quick, sweet pumpkin pasties instead?
Ingredients: makes about two dozen pumpkin pasties
- 1/2 cup pumpkin or winter squash purée (home made or canned)
- tablespoon or two of ricotta for extra creaminess
- pinch of ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
- pinch of nutmeg
- pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- package of wonton wrappers
Follow directions for raviolis, using the fried version. Dust finished pasties with powdered sugar.
Copyright, text and illustrations, 2011 by Ozarkhomesteader.
Ozark Homesteader 