Recipe: Sweet Potato Ravioli (using egg roll wrappers, makes 100-125 ravioli, freeze ahead)

SWEET POTATO RAVIOLI

"I came up with this idea to help use up the piles of wrappers I always have left over when I make Egg Rolls. This recipe makes enough filling to feed 8-10 hungry people, but it's worth it to make more ravioli as they freeze beautifully in resealable bags. Ravioli tastes good with a very simple tomato sauce but is especially nice with the rose sauce made for Tomato-Cream Penne with Vodka or Creamy Sage-Whiskey Sauce."

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 tbsp. butter (15 ml)
1 clove garlic, sliced
1 cup ricotta, regular or reduced fat
1/2 tsp. salt (2.5ml)
1 tbsp. fresh chopped basil (15 ml)
1/2 tsp dried oregano (2.5 ml)
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper (1.2ml)
1 large package egg roll wrappers (at least 50)
FOR SERVING, OPTIONAL:
Tomato-Cream Vodka Sauce
Or, Creamy Sage-Whiskey Sauce

Put the sweet potato in a sauce pan and cover with water. Bring to boil and boil gently until soft, about 15 minutes. Drain, and empty into a large bowl. mash until quite smooth with a potato masher (a few lumps are alright). Set aside to cool.

Melt the butter in a small skillet or saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes, them drain the butter through a sieve to drain out the garlic. Let the butter cool slightly, then add to the sweet potatoes.

Add the ricotta, salt, basil, oregano, and pepper to the sweet potatoes and mix well. Taste, and add more salt if you like.

On your work surface, have a small bowl of water ready, and put 3-4 wrappers in a stack in front of you. Cut them into equal, square quarters by slicing the wrappers in half lengthwise, then in half crosswise. Stack the quarters to one side, then lay pairs of them out in a row - do three or four pairs at a time.

Put about 1 tsp. (5ml) filling into the center of one square, then dip your finger in water and run it all around the edges of the square. Run your fingers the same way around the other square of the pair, then stick the two squares together, using your fingers to pinch and seal the edges. Use a knife to trim off any messy edges - just be sure not to trim off too much.

Repeat this process until you have as many ravioli as you link. Don't leave it out on the counter for more than 20 minutes, as the wrappers will start to dry out.

(The filling keeps for about 5 days in the refrigerator. Once the ravioli is made, it keeps very well in the freezer for up to 2 months. Ravioli can be cooked directly from frozen; it might take just a couple minutes of extra boiling.)

TO COOK:
Put the ravioli gently into salted boiling water and boil for 3-6 minutes- the cooking time will partly depend on the type of egg roll wrapper you're using. Remove one ravioli, cut into it, and taste to see if the wrapper is cooked.

When cooked, drain and serve with your favorite pasta sauce. Each person should get 10-12 ravioli.

Makes 100-125 ravioli, serving 10 people
Source: Vegetarian Comfort Food by Jennifer Warren