right turn ahead

After this whole blogging thing, I really think I need to get an air fryer for Christmas – so many of my recipes would be elevated with that lovely appliance. Dear Greg, if you’re reading….

I can’t remember where I found this recipe, but I do remember that I was watching a Giada De Laurentiis cooking show years ago and she made actual fried mini raviolis for a party she was hosting. Basically, she breaded pre-made raviolis and fried them in oil and created the most crispy, delicious, little cheesy pasta bites ever! She then went on to dip these babies in marinara sauce…it was glorious!

I’m not a huge fan of pan frying things at home because of the ridiculous mess that always ensues. I hate cleaning a stove that is caked in oil, so I always find ways to not pan fry. I knew I wanted to try a “fried” (aka baked) ravioli, so this is what I came up with.

First, you need to find the ravioli you want to use. It can be stuffed with anything! I use a basic four-cheese ravioli so it will appeal to everyone in my family, but be more adventurous – I dare you!

After picking the ravioli, you need to set up an assembly line. A dish with an egg to start the ravioli dipping process, then a breading bowl. The breading I have found to be the moist flavorful and the one that sticks the best to the ravioli is a mix of plain breadcrumbs, panko, Parmesan cheese, and finally, Italian seasoning. I don’t use the pre-seasoned breadcrumbs because I like to control the flavor.

After the ravioli make it through the entire assembly line, place them gently on a wire rack placed on top of a cookie sheet. This is how they will bake in the oven. You don’t want to put them directly on the cookie sheet or you will end up with a soggy-bottomed ravioli. Nobody wants that!

I bake the raviolis at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. They puff up so nicely and they end up browned and crispy on the outside,s while warm and cheesy on the inside. Dipped in marinara and they are perfection!