Hey there!

I see my parents almost every Sunday evening and we usually go to Gigi’s, a local pizza joint here in the West Island. However, on this occasion we ate at my place. I hate breaking routine. Especially when it means I gotta do dishes on a Sunday night…ESPECIALLY when it means I gotta miss out on my all dressed pizza with “pep on top” and the best fries in the world! However, there was a silver lining to my cloud…My mom and I were going to make Fried Ravioli!

What could be better? Crispy, fried, cheese filled pillows with a sprinkling of fresh lemon juice and freshly grated parmesan cheese with marinara dipping sauce.

I was surprised at how quick they were to prepare as they require very little time in the oil.  If you want to whip up several batches of ravioli, then I recommend using a deep fryer if you have one. Its easy to keep the temperature right and its not as messy.

My friend Sabrina serves her fried ravioli in a shallow bowl with a chopped tomato bruschetta-style salad on top. It’s like a delicious twist on Panzanella salad. True that the tomato mixture will soften some of the ravioli but that’s what I like about it; the mix of textures – some crispy and some soft.   In any form, these babies are a sure crowd pleaser!

Notes:

• You can also use a deep fryer like I did. I used peanut oil; its my favorite for frying.
• It can be difficult for some to find fresh ravioli so if your ravioli are frozen, let them thaw,  covered in the fridge.
• You can add a pinch or two of ground nutmeg to the breadcrumbs. Nutmeg and ricotta go great together.

Fried Ravioli

Ingredients

Olive oil, for frying
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups Italian-style bread crumbs
1 box store-bought cheese ravioli (about 24 ravioli)
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 jar store bought marinara sauce, heated, for dipping
Directions

Pour enough olive oil into a large frying pan to reach a depth of 2 inches. Heat the oil over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 325 degrees F.

While the oil is heating, put the buttermilk and the bread crumbs in separate shallow bowls. Working in batches, dip ravioli in buttermilk to coat completely. Allow the excess buttermilk to drip back into the bowl. Dredge ravioli in the bread crumbs. Place the ravioli on a baking sheet, and continue with the remaining ravioli.

When the oil is hot, fry the ravioli in batches, turning occasionally, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried ravioli to paper towels to drain.

Sprinkle the fried ravioli with freshly grated Parmesan, fresh lemon juice and serve with a bowl of warmed marinara sauce for dipping. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Recipe courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/fried-ravioli-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback