Three Cheese Ravioli with Shrimp in Butter Garlic Sauce

We usually don't eat bread with meals.  The main exception is when we do pasta.  I know, all the health nuts will freak out over the dual sources of those evil carbohydrates.  Then again, I doubt any of those types will be reading about my food.  All that said, we had a loaf of fresh bread left over after eating the Fettuccine last week.  It sat there in the fridge demanding to be used well.

I finally succumbed to the need to finish off the bread and decided on another pasta dish.  Then the question became, what pasta dish?  My good wife had asked for my next batch of ravioli be cheese ravioli so this was the chance.

Deciding on cheese ravioli was the easy part.  Then came other questions that needed answers.  What cheeses should I use?  What kind of sauce, if any, should I use?  What should accompany the ravioli?  See, one thing leads to another.  In the end, I used what I had on hand with the exception of Ricotta cheese.  The cheese mixture was Ricotta cheese, Mozzarella cheese, and Parmesan cheese.  The sauce was a butter garlic sauce.  Sauteed shrimp would be the accompaniment along with the bread.

Making ravioli is a time consuming process but it is well worth it.  The main reason is that you know what is in it and can tailor the stuffing mixture to suit your tastes.  I have the little ravioli form, there is a link in the Tools and Gadgets post, that helps make them more uniform but it is not a requirement for home made ravioli.  If you don't have a ravioli form, just lay out the bottom sheet of pasta dough, add small mounds of stuffing at least an inch apart, lay the top sheet of pasta dough down, and press into the individual ravioli.

Ready for the top layer of dough

Three Cheese Ravioli

Pasta dough
1 cup Ricotta cheese
3/4 cup Mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 T minced Basil
1 tsp mince Thyme
salt
pepper

The pasta dough is my standard recipe.  Combine 2 cups flour, 3 eggs, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp olive oil.  Once they come together knead the dough until it is smooth.  Wrap in plastic and let sit for 20 minutes before working.  While the dough is resting, add the cheeses to a bowl and mix well.  Stir in the Basil and Thyme.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  If using a pasta press, roll out the sheets to desired thickness, I go to 5.  Use a ravioli form or the countertop method to make your ravioli.  To cook the ravioli, put it in well salted boiling water.  When it floats it is done.

Using the ravioli form I have this recipe will make about 36 ravioli.  I had enough filling for another couple of ravioli so I just snacked on it while doing everything else.

Fresh ravioli ready to cook

Start the shrimp cooking then put the ravioli into the boiling water. When the ravioli is done either drain in a colander or use a slotted spoon to get them out of the water and into a bowl. Toss with a little olive oil to keep them from sticking.  Then finish according to the Shrimp in Butter Garlic Sauce recipe.

Shrimp in Butter Garlic Sauce

1 - 1.5 lb shrimp, peeled, deveined
1 stick butter
6 - 8 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup white wine
salt
pepper
Italian seasoning

Leaving the tail on the shrimp is personal preference but I remove the tails prior to cooking.  Sprinkle salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning over the shrimp to suit your taste.  Melt all but 2 T of the butter in a skillet.  Add the shrimp and sautee until done.  Remove from the skillet leaving the melted butter.  Add the remaining butter and let it melt.  Add the white wine, stir, then burn off the alcohol.  Add the minced garlic and sautee for a minute or two, don't let it brown.  Add the ravioli to the skillet and toss to coat.  Return the shrimp to the skillet and stir to mix in with the ravioli.  Serve and enjoy.

A plate full of goodness

If you don't want to burn off the alcohol in the wine you can just let it evaporate naturally.  It will just take an extra minute or two.  I like to play with fire so I burn it off. 

This meal comes together quickly once the ravioli is made.  If you use ready made ravioli then this would be a super quick evening meal.  Whether you make your own ravioli or use fresh ravioli from the store I hope you'll give this recipe a try.  I think you'll like it.

Uncle T