Toasted Ravioli

I made ravioli for my boys' dinner tonight. Not homemade, I boiled up a great organic brand I found at Costco. Spinach and cheese - they love it and it's perfect before lacrosse practice. And only three exploded in the pot! I serve that kind of meal on fast-and-furious, gotta get out the door nights. You know the kind. But the truth is, I prefer "toasted" ravioli - the kind you make yourself and bake in the oven. You control the ingredients and can make whatever you want. I also love the slightly crisp exterior you sink your teeth into before getting to the tender, cheesy center. I wrote the blog below for Food Network - check it out!

Baked Spinach & Cheese Ravioli

Ouch. One typical serving of cheese-filled ravioli (4 squares) without sauce, can dish up to 850 calories, 25 grams of fat, 15 grams of saturated fat, and 1,600 milligrams of sodium. Those innocent-looking squares sure pack a punch. By making homemade ravioli with healthy fillings and wonton wrappers, you can eliminate loads of unnecessary calories, fat and sodium, and bump up nutrients by adding antioxidant-rich spinach. Thanks to the wonton wrappers (just 23 calories and ZERO fat grams each), they’re a snap to prepare. And since the ravioli are baked not boiled in water, you can enjoy golden brown, toasted ravioli with a creamy, cheesy middle.

Olive oil cooking spray

15 ounces part-skim ricotta cheese

1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

10-12 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained (squeeze out all excess water)

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 package wonton wrappers (about 48 wrappers)

2 cups marinara or pasta sauce, warmed in a saucepan or microwave

3 teaspoons shredded parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Coat two large baking sheets with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, mozzarella, spinach, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and pepper. Mix well.

Arrange half of the wonton wrappers on a flat surface. Top each wrapper with 1 tablespoon of the ricotta mixture. Brush the edges of wrappers with water and top wrappers and filling with a second wrapper. Pinch the edges together to seal. Secure the seal by gently pressing edges together with a fork.

Transfer the ravioli to the prepared baking sheets and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden brown.

Spoon the sauce onto plates, top with ravioli and then top with parmesan cheese.

Serves 6

Nutrition Info Per Serving
Calories: 385
Total Fat: 10 grams
Saturated Fat: 6 grams
Total Carbohydrate: 48 grams
Sugars: 4 grams
Protein: 21 grams
Sodium: 738 milligrams
Cholesterol: 40 milligrams
Fiber: 3 grams