How to Fill and Fry Ravioli

It's hard to improve upon the classic boiled ravioli, with its silky pasta and fluffy filling. If it were possible, however, it would be by dropping the raviolis in hot oil instead of water. Their deep-fried counterpart is just as light on the inside, but crunchy and golden outside.

You can opt to fry store bought raviolis, but, if you take the time to make them yourself, the final product will be that much better.

Basic Fried Ravioli
Ingredients You Will Need:
6 sheets fresh pasta dough, store-bought or homemade
1 recipe filling of your choice (recipes follow)
4 eggs
1 tablespoon water
2 cups canola or olive oil
¼ cup milk
2 cups bread crumbs

Lay out three of the pasta sheets, and spoon out about a tablespoon of your chosen ravioli filling every few inches. Beat two of the eggs with the water and, using a pastry brush, brush the mixture around the filling. Top with the other pasta sheets and, using a biscuit ring or pizza cutter, cut out the raviolis. Pinch the edges closed with your fingers, making sure to get as much of the air out as possible. If there is too much air trapped inside, it will expand during cooking, and they will explode, sending hot oil everywhere.

Put the oil in a medium pan set over medium heat. Using a fry thermometer, try to get the oil as close to 325 degrees Fahrenheit as possible. Mix the two remaining eggs with the milk in a shallow bowl, and pour the breadcrumbs into another bowl. Dip each ravioli first in the milk, being sure to let the excess drip off, and then in the bread crumbs.

When your oil reaches 325 degrees Fahrenheit, begin frying the ravioli in relatively small batches; this will ensure that they don't stick together. Fry, turning once or twice, until they are golden brown, about five minutes. Put on a plate lined with paper towels, and serve with marinara for dipping.

Mushroom Filling
Ingredients You Will Need:
1 pound of your favorite mixed mushrooms (shiitake, Portobello, button, oyster and chanterelle all work well)
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
¼ cup red wine
¼ cup heavy cream
¼ up parmesan cheese, grated

First, prepare the mushrooms by dicing them into small pieces. Put a large pan over medium high heat, and add the butter and olive oil. Once the butter is melted, add the garlic and shallot, and sauté for a few moments until they become very aromatic. Add the mushrooms and rosemary, and stir. Sauté for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, so that the mushrooms get brown and cook down considerably. Add the red wine, and scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to dissolve the bits that are stuck to it. Pour in the cream and parmesan cheese, and continue stirring until it thickens. Let the mixture cool before filling your raviolis.

Butternut Squash Filling
Ingredients You Will Need:
1 pound butternut squash, cubed
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 sprigs thyme, leaves stripped
Salt and pepper to taste
3 strips bacon, roughly chopped
1 shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup ricotta cheese
½ teaspoon nutmeg

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Toss the squash in a bowl with the oil, thyme and salt and pepper. Put on a baking sheet, and roast until the squash is golden brown and tender, about 45 minutes. When the squash has about 10 minutes left, begin preparing the rest of the filling.

Put the bacon pieces in a pan, and then put the pan over medium heat. Putting the bacon in while the pan is still cool will ensure that as much fat gets rendered out as possible. When the bacon pieces are brown, put them in a bowl, and discard all but a tablespoon of the drippings. Return the pan to the heat, and sauté the shallot and the garlic for a few minutes until they just begin to brown, being careful not to burn the garlic. Add the butternut squash pieces, and turn off the heat. Smash the squash with either a potato masher or the back of a fork until it reaches the consistency of mashed potatoes. Let cool to room temperature, and then mix in the bacon pieces, cheese and nutmeg.

Fried Dessert Filling
Ingredients You Will Need:
1 cup toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped
1 container Nutella
½ cup powdered sugar

Mix the hazelnuts with the Nutella for a rich and delicious chocolate dessert ravioli. Make sure not to use seasoned breadcrumbs when frying this batch, however. When the raviolis come out of the fryer, dust them with the powdered sugar and enjoy (and please don't dip them in the marinara).