RAVIOLO APERTO SICILLANO RECIPE

Open Sicilian Raviolo

 

Serves 6

 

I loved this when I tasted it recently in Puglia, the ‘heel’ of Italy. It is extremey easy to prepare. Make the filling a day ahead and let it gather flavours in the fridge overnight. The lasagna sheets can be cooked according to the manufacturer’s instructions in the morning, drained and refreshed in cold water and drained again. Fill the pasta sheets and layer into the baking/serving dish and all you have to do 20 minutes before serving, is pop it in the oven to warm through and gratinee the top until deliciously golden.

 

Ingredients

• 500 g eggplant, cut in 1.5 cm cubes
• 1 ½ tablespoons salt
• 1 medium brown onion, finely chopped
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 200 g zucchini, cut in 1 cm cubes
• 1 capsicum, (any colour), seeded and cut in 1.5 cm pieces (Or 150 g mushrooms, cut in 1.5 cm dice)
• Pinch dried Greek oregano
• 8 lasagne sheets, preferably fresh (not dried)
• *350 ml Italian tomato sauce (Spaghetti with Meat Sauce)
• 50 g finely grated parmesan

 

Method

To make the filling; salt the eggplant and leave in a colander to drain of juices for 30 minutes. Rinse under running cold water and wring dry on layers of paper towel. Heat a large, heavy frying pan, add some oil and sauté the onion until softened but not browned. Set aside on a plate. Add more oil and cook the eggplant cubes until softened and set aside. Cook the zucchini the same way, then the capsicum or mushrooms. Combine the vegetables, add the oregano, adjust seasoning and cook for 5 minutes without browning. (Mushroom juices must evaporate.) Leave until cold. Cook the lasagna sheets in plenty of salted boiling water until justal dente. (If overcooked they will be too difficult to handle). Drop sheets into iced water to stop cooking.  Drain pasta and lay out on a clean bench top. Divide the filling between the lasagna sheets, placing it in the centre of one half of each long sheet. Fold the empty half of the past over the top of the filling. 

Spray a shallow, oven-proof dish to fit all the ravioli in one layer, with non stick spray. Arrange the ravioli in the base of the dish, preferably not overlapping. Dress with the tomato sauce and scatter with parmesan. Bake in a 160 C oven for 15 to minutes, but do not overcook . Flash under a hot grill for a few seconds to brown tops very lightly.

 

© Copyright Elise Pascoe 2008