Baked Ravioli

Thank you for coming to my blog :0)! I am very excited for my first post and hope you find my easy recipes delicious. So with that, I present to you the first "easy recipe":




I LOVE LOVE LOVE ravioli but some times life gets too busy to really get them right. If you cook ravioli often you know what I mean. You have to boil the ravioli while simultaneously browning your meat and preparing the sauce. In fact, people should pay for a ticket to watch your circus antics as you hop around the kitchen praying your ravioli doesn't over boil and your meat doesn't burn.

Ravioli shouldn't be a chore and most certainly should not come from a can, (unless of course you are five.)

If you have 30 to 40 minutes and enough pocket change for 6-7 ingredients then prepare to be amazed!


For this dish you need to preheat your oven to 350

INGREDIENTS:

1) A jar of spaghetti sauce
((pick your favorite because it doesn't matter. I prefer the cheapest ;0) ))

2) A package of cheese ravioli (cooked)
( For those that aren't familiar these are in the freezer section. I know you're out there!)

3) Small curd cottage cheese- 2 cups
( Go ahead get the Wal-mart brand no one knows the difference trust me!)

4) Parmesan Cheese- 1/4 cup
(If you don't already have this then just buy the smallest one it is plenty.)

5) Shredded Mozzarella- 4 Cups
(Yes, 4 cups is enough but personally I prefer the "use the whole stinkin bag" method!)

6) Ricotta cheese- 1 cup
( I mix this with the cottage cheese, but you can make it it's own layer.)

Optionals:

Beef (I use turkey, can you tell I'm a cheapy yet?)


Utensils you will need:

I use a 9 X 13 baking pan





Simple instructions:


* Put about 1/2 a cup of spaghetti sauce on the bottom of your pan and spread.

* Take half of your cooked ravioli and line it over the spaghetti sauce

* Measure out another 1 1/3 cup of spaghetti sauce and spread over raviolis

* Layer with 1 1/2 of your cottage/ricotta mix, approx 1 1/2 cups of mozzarella, and meat (if applicapble)

* Repeat your layers until you are out of ingredients, or have reach almost the top of your pan.

* Sprinkle your Parmesan, and any left over mozzarella you have on top.

* Pop the baby uncovered in your preheated oven for 30-40 minutes and do one of your 50 million other daily tasks while it cooks. (If the ravioli bake is very bubbly then it is most likely done.)






Tips:

I have served this to 4 people in the past, and had plenty left over. My best guess is that it can serve about 6 without a problem.









Well there you have it! A lasagnaesque dish without all the fuss, or price. This is such an easy recipe and I am positive you will love it. Let me know how it goes.






Simple, veloce e buon,

Bela