Goat Cheese Ravioli with Bell Peppers and Brown Butter

Obviously my brains have shut off... or else I would have posted this sooner... because we had it weeks ago! Maybe I saved it because all we were eating was pasta... wanted to spread it out... Except that that phase hasn't really stopped... we're still pasta-crazy! There are worse things to be.

Right. So. I won't lie, I made the ravioli some Sunday afternoon while the Mister watched football. Weeks ago. I might have had football on the radio, but its more likely I had my ipod going. I'm not sure what got into me, but I was in a mood, so I made my own dough and then rolled it out and then filled it. Oh wait, I know what it was... I got this multi-pack of cookie/biscuit cutters... (notice the cute little scalloped edge?)... Why make my own pasta when the recipe so happily calls for wonton wrappers? I don't like wonton-wrapper ravioli. I don't know if I'm just doing something wrong, but they come out all weird and squiggly... not my favorite. That, and I find the production of pasta to be soothing... all the repetitive actions... I can get lost in the process. And in the end, I had a big bag of ravioli for my freezer! Woo!

The ingredient list to flavor quotient was high. This dish was a breeze to prepare and tasted like it took me all day. I blistered the peppers on the stove and messed with them the evening before... popped them in the fridge until I needed them. Because of all that miscellaneous prep, this dinner was the ultimate fast food. Sauteed some veggies, browned some butter, boiled some water... bam bam bam, done and delicious. Yah, sure, I totally would eat my flip-flop if I tossed it in some brown butter... but still. You'll note that I left out the olives and chives... neither float my boat, and the meal didn't suffer for it.

I'm barely on time to submit this to the lovely Ruth at Once Upon a Feast for her Presto Pasta Night roundup this week... I can't wait to see what she has in store for us (now that I'm re-smitten with everything pasta!)


Goat Cheese Ravioli with Bell Peppers and Brown Butter
Bon Appetit, September 2007
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/239796

Bell peppers:
2 small red bell peppers
2 small yellow bell peppers
1 small green bell pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup diced seeded tomatoes
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

Ravioli:
Cornmeal for sprinkling
8 ounces soft fresh goat cheese
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese plus additional for sprinkling
1/4 cup mascarpone cheese
2 tablespoons chopped assorted fresh herbs (such as basil, chives, mint, and tarragon)
18 wonton wrappers

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter

Toasted pine nuts
Thinly sliced pitted Niçoise olives*
Chopped fresh chives

For bell peppers:
Char all peppers over gas flame or in broiler until blackened on all sides. Place in paper bag; seal and let stand at room temperature 15 minutes. Peel and seed peppers; chop.

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and tomatoes and cook until onion begins to brown, about 4 minutes. Reduce heat to low; cook until vegetables are very soft and onion is brown, stirring often, about 15 minutes. Add chopped peppers and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.

For ravioli:
Lightly sprinkle rimmed baking sheet with cornmeal. Mix 8 ounces goat cheese, 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, and next 2 ingredients in medium bowl. Arrange 6 wonton wrappers on work surface. Place 1 tablespoon cheese filling in center of each wrapper. Using fingertip, dampen edges of wrappers with water. Fold all 4 corners up to meet in center, forming pyramid shape; seal all 4 edges tightly. Pinch top to seal. Place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling. DO AHEAD: Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover and chill.

Cook butter in large skillet over medium heat until beginning to brown, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes.

Cook ravioli in pot of gently boiling salted water until tender, about 4 minutes. Transfer ravioli to skillet with browned butter. Toss over medium heat.

Meanwhile, re-warm bell pepper mixture; divide among 6 plates. Using slotted spoon, top peppers on each plate with 3 ravioli. Drizzle with any remaining browned butter. Sprinkle with Parmesan, toasted pine nuts, olives, and chives.

*Brine-cured black olives; available at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores and Italian markets.