Saturday Night Special. We Tried Something New

Ciao Everyone!

Saturday Patti asked if I was up to cooking dinner Saturday evening? I said sure and she mentioned the ravioli we had in the freezer we bought from Costco.

Every time I open the freezer I see them and wonder if we should try them. Finally the decision was made.

See these ravioli weren’t your usual type. These were Sicilian Lemon Zest Burrata Ravioli. When we bought them I thought of them as a nice luncheon with a fresh garden salad and a lemon zest dressing.

Burrata, if you don’t know are solid piece of mozzarella cheese with a creamy soft interior made with shredded mozzarella soaked in cream. When done correctly, it’s the best of the best when eating mozzarella, if you ask me.

My grandfather would make burrata all the time when I was young. I never dared try to learn how after watching all that went into making both the mozzarella cheese and the burrata. Lots of hard work for a seven-year-old.

So on this Saturday evening, knowing I didn’t have a zesty garden salad to go along I decided to make an agile e olio sauce with broccoli florets.

The only thing I was missing was some fresh lemon zest to add to the sauce to enhance the flavor of the ravioli.

To be honest I’m glad I didn’t have any lemons, the zest in the ravioli was enough. In fact I believe everyone liked them but me. I enjoy the broccoli.

For me these should have been just what I wanted them in the first place for, a luncheon meal on a Sunday with a salad. As for an evening meal I just didn’t feel they would work, but then who am I to know.

I make my oil and garlic sauce different than most. I do not add anchovies since no one here besides myself likes them. So out they go.

What’s in the oil and garlic you ask? It’s simple. Virgin Olive Oil to for your taste for the pasta you are cooking. I add salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, basil, and dried oregano( rub in my hand before adding it to release the oils) to the oil.

This night I added more garlic than usual since I was going to add the broccoli to the oil. I figured 6-7 cloves of large garlic cloves would be enough. I added some garlic powder to the broccoli prior to adding it to the oil.

I sautéed the garlic with everything but the broccoli. Once I had the garlic translucent I added the broccoli and sautéed the florets.

I had the ravioli in boiling water as soon as I started the sauteé of the garlic, spices, and florets. It all ended at the same time and then it was time to plate.

I found a lasagna dish I use and placed the ravioli in it and then poured the oilive oil with the florets over them. Perfect.

Everyone seemed to like the dish. They enjoyed the bit of lemon zest coming through. I was the only one as I said that was on the fence with these.

If you get them, I would go with my suggestion for a luncheon with them and a garden salad. I bet it will taste great. You’ll have to let me know.

I will say these are some of the best tasting raviolis we’ve bought from Costco in a long time.

So give them a try. Let us know what you think!

Be Well!

Buon Appetito!

Mark & Patti