Baked Ravioli with Red Pepper Marinara

When I'm in the kitchen and I don't have anything in particular in mind to cook, inspiration usually comes from the necessity of needing to cook something for dinner. Trying to make something out of nothing or in this case what I had on hand. This red pepper marinara sauce is one of those creations that came about from a bag of frozen peppers and onions in the absence of fresh produce and jarred tomato sauce.
I've made this sauce numerous times since then and each time I marvel at how delicious it is. It varies just a bit depending on weather I have Anaheim chilies or not but it is basically the same with a solid base of bell peppers and onions and the natural sweetness from the carrots and stewed tomatoes. Yum!

The idea for the Baked Ravioli however, came after I spent a Sunday with girlfriends wine tasting at a few local wine bars. Our first stop was a wine bar that also served small plate appetizers and I ordered a delicious fried ravioli appetizer with a red pepper cream sauce. It was delicious but the ravioli were very deeply fried. It was great to curb my hunger after a glass of wine but I felt like it was a bit too fried, so I decided to try my own version of it here at home. Especially since I already had the perfect sauce for it. So here is my lighter version of Baked Ravioli with Red Pepper Marinara. Enjoy!

Baked Ravioli with Red Pepper Marinara Sauce

Red Pepper Marinara

1 bag of frozen Peppers and Onions
2 Anaheim chiles seeded and chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
2 cloves garlic, sliced
2 T balsamic vinegar
1 14 oz. can stewed tomatoes with Italian Seasonings
2 T olive oil
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tsp marjoram, dried
red chili flakes (to taste, I like it spicy)
salt and pepper (to taste)

If you don't have frozen peppers and onions, by all means use fresh ingredients. This is just what I used because it's what I had on hand. The beautiful thing about this sauce is that you literally throw all the ingredients in a large skillet, cover, and simmer for about 30-35 minutes. Once the carrots are soft, transfer the cooked veggies to a food processor and blend on high until smooth. Add the blended sauce back into the skillet and heat, uncovered for an additional 20-30 minutes to reduce and thicken the sauce. Salt and pepper to taste and set aside as you prepare the ravioli.

This sauce is made more decadent when you add a touch of cream to it. It's great tossed with some Penne Pasta and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. Yummy!
Baked Ravioli

1 bag of frozen ravioli
1 egg, beaten with 1 T milk
1 cup Panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 t dried basil
salt and pepper
non-stick olive oil cooking spray

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Thaw ravioli.

Line cookie sheet with parchment paper and then generously coat parchment paper with non-stick cooking spray.

In shallow dish, add egg and milk and beat until incorporated and set aside. In another shallow dish, mix Panko flakes, Parmesan cheese, basil, salt and pepper. Dip thawed ravioli in egg mixture first then the bread crumb mixture.

Place coated ravioli onto the prepared parchment in a single layer. Generously spray the top of each ravioli with cooking spray. This is an important step to ensure the coating crisps up. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with warm Red Pepper Marinara and sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan Cheese. Enjoy!