The secret to this simple recipe is the rice wrappers, which I use rather than pasta. These are the thin, dry wrappers you can usually find in the Asian section of your market. Different from egg roll wrappers, which need to be refrigerated, rice wrappers need to be soaked before using them, and can be eaten raw or cooked once they're stuffed. And because they're made from rice, they're gluten free.
Rick and his sister, Vicki, made these the other day, while I coached, and they had no trouble at all.
Easy Rice Ravioli
makes about 2 dozen large ravioli
rice wrappers (also called rice papers and spring roll wrappers)
store bought or homemade tomato pasta sauce, warmed
filling:
1 onion, chopped fine
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1 block extra firm tofu, pressed and crumbled
2 tsp dry basil
1 tsp dry oregano
1 tsp dry thyme
2 T tamari, or to taste
¼ cup nutritional yeast
4 cups fresh spinach, chopped
½ cup or more Cashew Cheese or Daiya - optional
Saute the onions and garlic in a little bit of water over medium heat.
Add the crumbled tofu and herbs, and stir for 2-3 minutes.
Stir in the tamari, nutritional yeast, and herbs.
Add the spinach a little at a time, and let it wilt into the mixture.
Remove from heat.
If using Daiya, stir it into the spinach mixture.
to fill:
Set out two cutting boards or large plates, or you might want to cover a larger surface with waxed paper to lay the filled ravioli on before cooking.
Fill a baking dish (or other shallow dish large enough to hold the rice wrappers) with very hot tap water.
One at a time, soak the rice wrappers in the hot water for about 20-30 seconds, until they’re soft and flexible, but not mushy. They should still have a slight “crinkle” to them.
Lay the wet wrapper on a cutting board.
If using Cashew Cheese, place a small dollop in the center of the wrapper.
Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of filling into the center of the wrapper.
Fold the side of the wrapper closest to you over the filling, followed by the side opposite you.
Fold one of the ends over the center.
Flip the ravioli over, and fold the other end over the other side of the ravioli, so that both sides have several layers of wrapper covering the filling.
Place the finished ravioli, uncovered, on a cutting board, plate, or waxed paper.
They will begin to dry out, which is good, as it toughens up the wrappers and makes them easier to handle. After a few minutes, flip them over so both sides will firm up a bit.
Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil.
Place only a few ravioli at a time into the boiling water - only as many as will float together on the surface without overlapping.
Boil for one minute. They should puff up just a little bit at about the one minute mark.
Remove from the pot with a slotted spoon or small mesh strainer, and place on a plate, without overlapping.
to serve:
Ladle a small amount of warmed sauce onto plates, or into wide, shallow bowls.
Carefully arrange several ravioli onto the sauce.
Spoon more sauce over the top.
Sprinkle with nutritional yeast or store-bought vegan parmesan.
Variations: Add mushrooms, whole grains, fresh herbs, sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts, or vegan sausage to the filling. Use kale instead of spinach. Leave out the tofu if you prefer not to eat soy. Try vegan pesto or alfredo sauce instead of the tomato-based sauce. And for a really decadent treat or appetizer, these are awfully good fried - but you didn’t hear it from me.
~~~
Like this? Then please click Like and share it with your Social Peeps below, and hey - leave a comment! Let me know I'm not talking to myself here (which I actually do quite a lot...)