Baked Ravioli with Red Pepper Marinara

When I'm in the kitchen and I don't have anything in particular in mind to cook, inspiration usually comes from the necessity of needing to cook something for dinner. Trying to make something out of nothing or in this case what I had on hand. This red pepper marinara sauce is one of those creations that came about from a bag of frozen peppers and onions in the absence of fresh produce and jarred tomato sauce.
I've made this sauce numerous times since then and each time I marvel at how delicious it is. It varies just a bit depending on weather I have Anaheim chilies or not but it is basically the same with a solid base of bell peppers and onions and the natural sweetness from the carrots and stewed tomatoes. Yum!

The idea for the Baked Ravioli however, came after I spent a Sunday with girlfriends wine tasting at a few local wine bars. Our first stop was a wine bar that also served small plate appetizers and I ordered a delicious fried ravioli appetizer with a red pepper cream sauce. It was delicious but the ravioli were very deeply fried. It was great to curb my hunger after a glass of wine but I felt like it was a bit too fried, so I decided to try my own version of it here at home. Especially since I already had the perfect sauce for it. So here is my lighter version of Baked Ravioli with Red Pepper Marinara. Enjoy!

Baked Ravioli with Red Pepper Marinara Sauce

Red Pepper Marinara
1 bag of frozen Peppers and Onions
2 Anaheim chiles seeded and chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
2 cloves garlic, sliced
2 T balsamic vinegar
1 14 oz. can stewed tomatoes with Italian Seasonings
2 T olive oil
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tsp marjoram, dried
red chili flakes (to taste, I like it spicy)
salt and pepper (to taste)

If you don't have frozen peppers and onions, by all means use fresh ingredients. This is just what I used because it's what I had on hand. The beautiful thing about this sauce is that you literally throw all the ingredients in a large skillet, cover, and simmer for about 30-35 minutes. Once the carrots are soft, transfer the cooked veggies to a food processor and blend on high until smooth. Add the blended sauce back into the skillet and heat, uncovered for an additional 20-30 minutes to reduce and thicken the sauce. Salt and pepper to taste and set aside as you prepare the ravioli.  

This sauce is made more decadent when you add a touch of cream to it. It's great tossed with some Penne Pasta and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. Yummy!
Baked Ravioli

1 bag of frozen ravioli
1 egg, beaten with 1 T milk
1 cup Panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 t dried basil
salt and pepper
non-stick olive oil cooking spray

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

Thaw ravioli.

Line cookie sheet with parchment paper and then generously coat parchment paper with non-stick cooking spray.
 
In shallow dish, add egg and milk and beat until incorporated and set aside. In another shallow dish, mix Panko flakes, Parmesan cheese, basil, salt and pepper. Dip thawed ravioli in egg mixture first then the bread crumb mixture. 

Place coated ravioli onto the prepared parchment in a single layer. Generously spray the top of each ravioli with cooking spray. This is an important step to ensure the coating crisps up. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with warm Red Pepper Marinara and sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan Cheese. Enjoy!

 
 

Other pasta recipes to try:
Turkey Sausage and Peppers Pasta





 

Penne with Roasted Asparagus and Balsamic Butter Sauce

Confetti Salad with Honey Champagne Vinaigrette

After a bumpy start to the new year, Spring has come just in time to give me some much needed peace and time for renewal. Friday was my first day off and I was in the kitchen ready to make something delicious. I'd planned to make some Picadillo Stuffed Pobano Peppers with a  Tomatillo Cream Sauce...which sounded like a great plan if it hadn't been 90 degrees. It was crazy 'summer hot' here in Southern California last Friday!  
Instead, I opted for this delicious and decidedly cooler, Confetti Salad with the amazing Honey Champagne Vinaigrette. I know a salad is far cry from a satisfying main dish but you'll see the stuffed Poblanos in the near future. I promise. I made this salad dressing and salad a few weeks ago for a friend and I loved the dressing so much I decided to blog it. The recipe is actually an adaptation of the dressing I had at the Chef Tech Blogger/Cooking Workshop event back in February. I took their basic vinaigrette recipe and changed it up a bit. This salad is not only delicious but festive and beautiful. Use any vegetables you like, just cut them up real small so that the dressing coats every nook and cranny.  I especially like this salad because it's perfect to use up those bags of mini bell peppers. Most of the time it's hard to find uses for all those mini peppers before they get mushy. There is a limit on how many bell peppers one can eat in a week.
Anyway, chop up your veggies and whip up a batch of this delicious Honey Champagne Vinaigrette. You'll end up putting it on everything! Enjoy!

Confetti Salad with Honey Champagne Vinaigrette

Mixed greens (I used romaine, spinach and kale)
Red, yellow and orange baby bell peppers, small dice
3 mini Persian cucumbers, quartered and sliced
1 cup shredded carrots 
1/4 cup green onions, sliced

Chop, rinse and spin salad greens.
Cut mini bell peppers into thin match sticks and then dice.
Cut Persian cucumbers in half and then into quarters lengthwise. Then slice into small pieces. Finely slice green onions. I used pre-shredded carrots but if you have whole carrots, finely dice them or shred them with a box grater.

Add all vegetables to the salad greens and set aside. Prepare Vinaigrette.

Honey Champagne Vinaigrette
1/2 cup Champagne Vinegar (can substitute with white wine vinegar)
1/3 cup honey
3 T shallots, finely minced
2 T Dijon Mustard
1/4 cup Canola oil
3/4 cup Sunflower oil
Kosher salt and pepper, to taste


Finely mince a small shallot and add 3T to food processor. Add 1/2 cup champagne vinegar, honey, and Dijon mustard to the shallots. Process on high until fully incorporated. In a measuring cup, combine the oils and set aside. 
With your food processor on high, add the oil to the round insert in the lid of your processor. The round insert has a small hole at the bottom of it that will slowly add the oil so that it is emulsified. This will be good for about a week in the refrigerator. 

I didn't toss the dressing with the salad in these pictures, so that the lettuce would keep for dinner later that night. Normally, toss with the vinaigrette before serving. :) Enjoy!

Other salad recipes to try:
Caprese Salad with Pesto Vinaigrette
Sunflower Sprout Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette
Roasted Baby Carrot Salad with Carrot Ginger Dressing