Mushroom Ravioli in Tomato Sauce

So it isn't your traditional ravioli. This is more about making do with what you have and fixing something nice. We look in the fridge then the freezer then the pantry and we experiment and add to our repertoire. I made this ravioli a few weeks back and had them in the freezer. The easy part is using won ton wrappers. What you choose to fill them with is the fun part. Lot's of times, a busy moms and dads get in these situations where you gotta rush home and make dinner, but you don't really have time to go to the market and you're tired of eating fast food so you need something quick and easy. Having good old homemade food in the freezer can be a life saver so stock up when you do have time and are feeling a little creative.. and motivated.

Ravioli Filling
1 cup sliced Crimini mushrooms
1 cup shredded Oyster mushrooms
1 small pack of reconstituted dried Porcini mushrooms
(feel free to use any combination of mushrooms you find at your grocery)
1 cups raw baby spinach
1 tbsp Parmesan cheese
3 cloves garlic minced
1/2 medium onion small diced
1 tbsp of any chopped fresh herbs you have. parsley, oregano, thyme or sage etc
salt and pepper to taste

Heat up 5 tbsp of olive oil and sweat the garlic and onions. Add the mushrooms and saute until soft. Add the spinach and saute until wilted. Remove from the fire then add the Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper. Mix and then place in a strainer and let cool it the refrigerator.

The Tomato sauce for this is very easy. A shortcut if you may by fortifying a can of seasoned diced tomatoes. How easy is that? Remember, this is having something great in a pinch. Pat yourself in the back because you're a kitchen MacGyver!

Tomato Sauce
1 15 oz can Italian style diced tomato sauce  (whatever kind you have hiding in the back of your pantry)
1 whole medium onion small diced
5 large gloved of garlic minced
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp dried chili flakes
1 tbsp unsalted butter (cold)

Making the ravioli
1 pack of won ton skins
1 beaten egg for egg wash

like an assembly line, line up 6 won ton skins and place 1 tbsp of filling in the middle, brush the edges all the way around with the egg wash and place another won ton skin on top and pinch off the air pockets to seal the ravioli. make sure to flour the ravioli liberally on the storage tray to prevent them from sticking to each other.

Procedure

Boil 6 quarts of salted water in a pot. While that is going, heat up 4 tbsp of olive oil and sweat the onion and garlic for a minute then add the oregano. Once fragrant, add the diced tomatoes and the chili flakes then turn down the heat and simmer the sauce on low. When the water boils, add the ravioli and boil until the skin is translucent. Since the filling is already cooked, 3-4 minutes should do. Fish out the ravioli and arrange in a plate.

To finish the sauce, turn up the fire on the sauce and add 1/2 cup of the pasta water in to the tomato sauce and once it comes to a boil, whisk in the cold butter to thicken the sauce a bit then ladle over the ravioli. Enjoy!