Shrimp Won Ton Ravioli

Shrimp Won Ton Ravioli
Adapted from: Ralph Brennan's New Orleans Seafood Cookbook

Hands on time: 2-4 hours (depending on how fast you are at filling or how many helpers you have). You can also make this recipe in stages...the filling and the actual ravioli pocket creations can be done in advance, leaving only the sauce and boiling up the prepared ravioli. That's about 30 minutes or so

Makes 50 ravioli

Ingredients:
Filling:
¼ cup olive oil
1 ½ cups onions, finely chopped
¾ cup green sweet peppers, finely chopped
¾ cup red sweet peppers, finely chopped
¾ cup yellow sweet peppers, finely chopped
¾ cup green onions/scallions, thinly sliced – green & white parts
1lb/450g shrimp, coarsely chopped (the original recipe calls for crawfish)
2 tbsp Creole seasoning
1 tbsp mild Louisiana hot sauce
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
½ cup very dry fine breadcrumbs

Ravioli:
½ cup cornmeal, fine grind, divided as directed
1 egg
100 won ton wrappers, 3” square
1 recipe for roasted tomato butter sauce
Garnish:
6-8 cooked shrimp
3 tbsp green onion, finely sliced

Directions: .
Filling:
1. In a heavy 12” sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium high heat until almost smoking. Add the onions and sauté until they start becoming translucent (about 3 minutes) stirring occasionally.

2. Add the sweet peppers, green onions, shrimp, Creole seasoning and pepper sauce, stirring well. Sauté until the peppers are crisp-tender (about 3-4 minutes), stirring occasionally.

3. Transfer the filling to a bowl and set aside at room temperature until cool enough to handle (about 30 minutes or the filling can be made a day ahead). Once the filling is cool, stir the beaten eggs into the filling and then gradually add the breadcrumbs, mixing thoroughly. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight for the breadcrumbs to absorb the other flavors.

Ravioli:
1. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle generously with cornmeal, using at least 1/3 cup.

2. To shape the ravioli, use a large cookie cutter to just round the edges, or leave them square. Better yet…use your own creativity.

3. In a shallow bowl, beat the egg with a fork until smooth. Lay a won ton wrapper on a clean work surface. With a pastry brush, moisten the entire top of the won ton with egg wash.

4. Mound a tablespoon of filling in the center of the wrapper. Make sure there’s at least ¼” of won ton around the filling. Place another wrapper over the top and press down around the filling working outwards to remove air pockets. Repeat the process for the rest of the won tons. Place the pockets on the baking sheet.

5. Once all the ravioli are formed, sprinkle the tops with a little more cornmeal. Refrigerate for up to 4 hours or cook immediately. If you want to make these ahead of time, lay them on a baking sheet, making sure the ravioli don’t touch each other. For a second layer, use parchment to separate them. Place in the freezer until firm and gently transfer to a zip lock baggie. They can be kept frozen for up to 1 month. Just be careful of the fragile edges.

Final Cooking & Serving:
1. Using a large Dutch oven, put salted water up to boil.

2. Meanwhile prepare the roasted tomato butter sauce.

3. Ease small batches of the won tons (chilled or frozen) into the boiling water and cook uncovered until the won tons begin to float (that means they’re done). This only takes 2-3 minutes. As cooked, transfer 4-5 cooked won ton to each bowl with a slotted spoon (I put about a ladle full of sauce in the bottom before adding the won tons).

Serve immediately with additional sauce spooned over the ravioli. Garnish with cooked shrimp and green onions.