Shrimp Ravioli - A Ravioli Without Cheese

I know what you are thinking--a true Italian ravioli must have cheese in it!  And in most instances I would have to agree with you since I used to live in Rome and know how they eat.  I also sensed some hesitance with this item on the Super Bowl menu as everyone preferred the beef to the pasta.  But whether you are an Italian, foodie, or like me, not really into cheese (sorry everyone), you should really really try this out.

What makes this dish awesome is the amount of fresh herbs used in both the filling and the sauce.  I haven't tried using dried herbs, so I couldn't tell you if that would be an appropriate substitute if you were attempting to do so.  If you can get your hands on fresh herbs, do it cause you will not regret it!

Another tip... if you have a pasta roller, use it!!!  If you are Italian and know how to freshly roll your own ravioli, do it!!!  If you are like me, and have tried and ultimately failed to roll pasta by hand, go to the grocery store and buy wanton wrappers--they work just as well.  And if you want to fool your guests (like Serge), you can buy a cheap ravioli cutter and cut the edges to make it look as though you hand rolled it yourself!

Again, this is a nice recipe to have in your arsenal of fancy, but not very hard, meals to make.  For a meal for two, you need about a half a pound of shrimp that's de-shelled and de-veined, fresh basil, fresh chives, and fresh cilantro.  Put your cleaned shrimp in the food processor.  Take a bunch of basil, chives, and cilantro and throw them in as well.  Then add a little bit of salt and pepper and a tablespoon or two of olive oil.  Pulse the stuff, but not puree, until is well combined.  At this point you can store the filling to fill your ravioli later, or you can make it now.  You want to put egg wash on one wanton, then place about a teaspoon of filling, before you put the other wanton on top.  Then trim the edges so your guests won't get mostly pasta.  And when filling, make sure you push out as much air as possible so that it doesn't explode in the boiling water.  This will be the most tedious process.

To make a nice rustic tomato sauce (which can be used for just about any pasta), take 2 pints of grape or cherry tomatoes (I like a lot of sauce) and put them on a baking sheet.  Generously sprinkle some olive oil, salt, and pepper and put under the broiler for 5 to 10 minutes.  You just want to heat them up until they burst.  Then take your fresh herbs (basil, chives, and cilantro), and chop them up really finely.  While you are at it, chop up two or three shallots (or you can use an onion).  In a big sauce pan on medium heat, put a dash of olive oil and the chopped shallots.  When they become soft, add your tomatoes and herbs and mix them well.  Add more salt and pepper if you think it needs more.  And that's it--you have your rustic sauce!

I think this dish surprised my Super Bowl guests a lot.  A few folks who ordered the steaks were able to try the the pasta and absolutely raved about it.  With Valentines Day a few days away, this is also a good dish to impress your significant other.  It may not look like much on paper, but it definitely packs a punch!  Enjoy!