Three Cheese Ravioli in Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

  

Holy Smokes. 

I try new recipes all the time. Some make it on the blog, and some... we just eat and never talk about again because they weren't the greatest. Pinterest and cookbooks are funny that way. Some recipes are complete winners and deserve to be shared again and again; some were a sad waste of ingredients. And it's a shame, because some of those bad recipes are being pinned over and over and over again, and cookbooks containing similar recipes are being published like crazy. Downright insanity. I guarantee all the recipes you see on my website have been prepared, cooked, tasted and served by me to my family (so if you're frustrated in the kitchen from a recipe of mine, or it hasn't turned out quite right, tell me. I will help you troubleshoot what happened.) If it didn't taste perfect in my kitchen, I would have never put it on my blog in the first place.

I also aim to try a variety of different foods. Yes, we are a meat-loving family. But you will find many recipes, like this one, that are completely meatless. We try them all. And the ones you see on my blog are the ones I serve to my family on a regular basis.

This recipe blew our minds. Red peppers (even though they were a painful $1.68 each this week), with the clever method of roasting, are my latest flavor obsession. I'll buy jarred roasted red peppers, but roasting them in the oven doesn't take long at all. You just slice them in half, de-stem and seed them, drizzle with EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) and broil. The combination of the results, plus fresh garlic, onion, and basil creates such a bright and beautiful puree. Then, to make it a sauce, we add in a bit of cream (you could go with milk if you prefer) and butter to add some of that French flair. I'm telling you right now: Straight up, you will have yourself a sauce to put anyone in the palm of your hand (unless they hate red peppers). Throw it on some cheese ravioli? 

Nuts, people. It's just nuts. 

This would make the perfect 'stay-in-for-dinner-anniversary-or-birthday-meal." It's decadent, simple, and will completely knock their socks off.

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Three Cheese Ravioli in Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Ingredients:
3 red bell peppers, de-stemmed, seeded, and sliced in half.
2-3 T sliced onions
2 T minced garlic
1/4 C fresh basil, chopped fine
3 T EVOO
1 1/2 C half and half
1 t cornstarch
1/3 C grated Parmesan
2 T butter
salt and pepper to taste
1 large package of fresh Three Cheese Ravioli - (usually you can find it in the soft cheese refrigerated section). 

Method:
1. Preheat broiler.
2. Lightly coat peppers with EVOO and place cut side down on cookie sheet (I found that if you push the peppers down flat, they broil more even). Place under broiler until skin is blackened and softened. 3. Place in a paper bag and allow to steam for about 5-10 minutes. Remove skin from peppers and cut into small pieces.
4. In a frying pan, saute the garlic, basil, red peppers and onion in EVOO. Cook for 10 minutes.
5. In a separate small bowl, mix cornstarch and half and half together until there are no lumps. ALSO, start a pot of boiling water for your ravioli.
6. Place veggie mixture into a blender or food processor. Mix to desired consistency. Put mixture back in frying pan and heat to a boil.
7. Add in half and half to desired consistency (I used all but about 1/2 C).
8. To your boiling water, add in ravioli - turn boiling down to just above a simmer (your ravioli will fall apart and loose it's filling if you cook it at a high or medium boil). Cook for 5 minutes. Drain.
9. Add in cheese to sauce and cook until cheese melts. Add in butter. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer for about 5 minutes.

Recipe Source: Your Home Based Mom