Fried Ravioli can be eaten as an appetizer or a main course.

I made these for supper the other night along with homemade marinara sauce (for dipping) and a tossed salad.

If using homemade *marinara sauce, cook first before making the fried ravioli. My marinara sauce follows this recipe below. This sauce can be made a day ahead. Heat gently before serving with ravioli.

Fried Ravioli

1 package store-bought fresh or homemade cheese ravioli (about 24)
2 (or more) cups Italian style bread crumbs (I use Vigo)
2 eggs, beaten
Grated Parmesan (optional)
Olive oil for frying

• Into a shallow bowl, beat 2-3 egg. Set aside
• Into another shallow bowl, add 2-3 cups of bread crumbs (more maybe needed). Set aside
• Cover a large cookie sheet with waxed paper. Set aside.

• Boil a large pot of water. Drop ravioli in boiling water and gently cook for 1 1/2 minutes. Drain ravioli, put back in pan and gentle add cold water to cool the ravioli.
• Dip ravioli in egg wash to cover, then into the bread crumbs to coat. If you feel there isn’t enough bread crumb coating on some of the ravioli, then re-dip into egg wash and into the bread crumbs.  Adding more bread crumbs if needed.
• Place onto waxed paper lined cookie sheet.
• After all ravioli are breaded, put into the refrigerator for a half-hour to an hour before frying. This will assure that the coating sticks to the ravioli while frying.
• Add 1 inch of olive oil to a large frying pan or skillet. Heat oil to 350°.  Fry on both sides until golden. Remove from oil and drain onto a rack or paper towels. Work fast as these don’t take long to fry.
• Grate Parmesan cheese on top before serving. (optional)

Serve with homemade marinara sauce or your favorite marinara sauce.

There are many recipes out there for marinara sauce. There is no right way or wrong way to make a marinara. Adjust recipe according to your taste. Really, it all depends on one’s taste. I made a small pot of sauce by using what I had on hand. I usually use crushed canned tomatoes, rather than tomato sauce. I don’t measure ingredients when I make sauces, but I was careful to take note this time.

*Marinara Sauce

Note:  This will “plop” when cooking. Use a splatter screen if you have one.

3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup diced onions
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans of tomato sauce-15 oz. or 1
1-6 oz. can tomato paste
1/4 tsp. salt
Good grinding of pepper
*1/4 cup red wine (optional)
1/2 cup water or chicken stock
*If you’re not using wine, increase water or chicken stock to 3/4 cup  (if the sauce seem to thick, add 1/4 cup more water or stock)
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 dried bay leaf
1-2 teaspoon sugar (use 1 teaspoon if you don’t like you sauce with a touch of sweetness or omit all together)

Heat the oil in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and sauté until the onions are translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat-add salt and pepper, tomato sauce, tomato paste, wine, water or chicken stock, oregano, basil, bay leaf and sugar. Mix together with a wire whisk and put back on heat and simmer for and 1-1/2 hours. Taste the sauce and season with more salt and pepper, if needed.