Instant dinner tonight: Trader Joe's ravioli. The package instructions require that you boil them, but I was curious if it would work to fry them instead. I tried this, using butter and a little garlic on low heat. The ravioli skins are soft, so I didn't think boiling was essential. I liked the result, though care is required to avoid scorching them. It's faster than waiting for water to boil. Lazy, too. Full disclosure: I have never made ravioli from scratch. And probably never will.
The TJ's sample that inspired me to buy these ravioli was served with Marinara Sauce as illustrated. I had tried the ravioli before, though the sauce was new to me. Both were fine. I suspect that several hours of work using garden-fresh local summer tomatoes would be better. But there are still a few weeks of winter before any plants could even be in the ground.
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| So here it is, another Trader Joe Hack. |
You know, you just made "pot sticker" ravioli. Seriously -- when you make pot stickers you fry the dumplings (really just another form of ravioli; or should we say, ravioli are another form of dumpling) for a few minutes in a wok (or frying pan). Add a bit of water to the pan so they won't scorch too much, cover, and let them steam. When the water is evaporated, the pot stickers are don. We sometimes have frozen ravioli for a quick dinner. I'm going to try pan frying them! :-)
ReplyDeleteFor pot stickers -- I use water as you said but additionally a bit of balsamic vinegar which helps them brown and adds flavor! I should have tried that with the ravioli... next time!
ReplyDeletebest... mae at maefood.blogspot.com
I love this idea! Sometimes even the thought of having to wait for the water to boil is a turn off. I am definitely going to keep this technique in mind the next time I need a quick meal. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm all for easy and "lazy"
ReplyDeletethat tip about the balsamic vinegar is a great one!
ReplyDeleteI didn't know you could do this! I'm seriously going to give it a try. We have store-bought fresh/frozen ravioli fairly often. We make fresh maybe 3 or 4 times a year -- I stumbled upon a hand-crank pasta machine at TJ Maxx years ago, and the kids LOVE rolling out dough!
ReplyDeleteNever heard of frying ravioli before! Thanks for sharing your experiment.
ReplyDeleteIt made me think of pot stickers too and a good quick fix idea, especially with the zap of balsamic.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you - I also have no plans to make ravioli from scratch anytime soon. What a great idea to toast them - quick dinner, indeed!
ReplyDeleteTrader Joe's stuff is always so good. When I traveled to the US for work, it was a must-visit to stock up on quick n easy food.
ReplyDeleteI buy refrigerated ravioli from Eataly here in NYC for a quick weeknight dinner. They make several varieties, and all of them are so great. I grab a loaf of their bread, make a salad and we are ready to eat.
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