Baked Ravioli

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This simple preparation is a godsend for busy cooks who feed teenage athletes or youth groups. It is almost effortless to make and it always pleases its target audience who are generally more hungry than discerning. This is a can't fail recipe, much like a lasagna, but with a looser appearance. The recipe relies heavily on prepacked ingredients that make it possible to have a pan of baked ravioli on the table in a little over 30 minutes. You can add a bit more flavor to the casserole by using ravioli that is stuffed with something other than plain cheese. I favor the cheese and spinach combination that is usually available in supermarkets in my area. I also use Romano rather than Parmesan cheese. I think Romano is more assertive and it is an easy way to boost flavor in this type of casserole. This is not a dish that will have universal appeal, but if you are very busy and have to feed a group of kids, this is the way to go. Here is how this version of baked ravioli is made.

Baked Ravioli...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Family Circle magazine

Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1 jar (24-oz.) marinara sauce
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped, plus more for garnish (optional)
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 package (20-oz.) refrigerated cheese ravioli
1 package (9-oz.) refrigerated cheese ravioli
1 bag (8-oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan

Directions:
1) Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 2-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
2) Crumble ground beef into a large nonstick skillet. Cook for 5 minutes over medium-high heat, until browned. Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup of the marinara sauce, half the basil and half the parsley.
3) Meanwhile, cook ravioli for 5 minutes in boiling water. Drain and return to pot. Stir in remaining sauce, basil and parsley.
4) Pour half the ravioli into prepared dish, spreading level. Top with meat sauce and 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella. Add remaining ravioli to dish and top with remaining 1-1/4 cups shredded mozzarella and the Parmesan.
5) Bake for 20 minutes. Increase oven temperature to broil and broil ravioli for 2 minutes. Garnish with additional chopped basil, if desired. Yield: 8 servings.

                    

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