Inside-Out Ravioli

Ravioli: (n) Small pasta envelopes containing meat, cheese or vegetables.

Inside-Out Ravioli: (n) Small pasta shapes containing a meat, cheese, or vegetable filling as a sauce.

With a hearty but smooth filling conveniently encased in a pocket of soft noodle with fun crimped edges just begging to be nibbled off, ravioli are a popular pasta favorite.  They can be simple and traditional with fillings like ricotta and spinach or Italian sausage, or they can be modern and extravagant, stuffed with creamy lobster or spicy pumpkin.  There really is no limit to what can be done with the ravioli.

I, for example, turned my ravioli inside-out.

That's Not Really Ravioli

Two things stand in my way of preparing a real ravioli for my daughter:

1. My inability to make homemade pasta.
2. Her inability to chew big things.

While technically the ravioli is the pocket, I think it's okay to think outside the box when preparing it for someone with only three teeth.  I took the liberty, then, to slightly redefine the ravioli to mean the comforting fillings I enjoy the most:  Creamy cheese, beef and spinach. Served with soft noodle shapes, it might not be an accurate representation of a ravioli as far as the textural experience goes, but the flavor was more than enough to make up for that inaccuracy.

Inside-Out Ravioli

Ingredients

Pasta Shapes

Ground Beef

Spinach

Whole Wheat Flour

Butter

Whole Milk

Provolone Cheese

Parmesan Cheese

A little bit o' spice

Technique

First, put a pot of water on to boil so you can prepare your pasta shapes.  How much pasta you prepare is up to you and your child's appetite.  Anything you have leftover can be refrigerated and used for a meal the next day.  Put your pasta in when the water is rolling, stirring often until it's done, then drain it and set it aside.

While your water is boiling, prepare your cheese sauce.  First, make a roux using equal amounts of butter and whole wheat flour (I used about half a tablespoon):  Melt the butter over medium-low heat, then add your flour slowly and vigorously whisk to incorporate.  Slowly whisk in the milk to the desired consistency; turn the heat up a little to help it thicken (I always keep it a little low when I actually add the milk to keep it from scalding).  Remember you can always add more milk to thin it out later.  Then, add your cheeses:  A few pinches of grated Parmesan and maybe an ounce or two of provolone.  Keep whisking slowly until all the cheese melts, and taste it frequently.  Add more provolone if you want it a little thicker or stronger in cheese flavor. Sprinkle with a little bit of spice - just a tiny bit of garlic powder and a pinch or two of pepper. Do NOT add salt.

As I said in a previous blog, when you're making creamy sauces with whole wheat flour, it will have brown flecks in it and it will taste a little nutty.  While this may seem unappealing to you, it's a great way to acclimate your baby to the taste and texture of whole wheat so they can acquire a preference for healthier whole grain options throughout life.

Set your cheese sauce to low heat to keep it warm, giving it a quick stir now and then to prevent burning and to keep that silly skin from forming on the top while you prepare your meat "filling."

If you're using frozen spinach, prepare it according to the package directions.  If you're using fresh, toss it into your pasta water for a few seconds until it gets soft and wilted and immediately take it out - how much you use depends on how much beef you use; try to use at least half the amount (for example, one ounce of spinach to two ounces of beef).  Brown about a meatball-sized portion of ground beef (if you need to add a little fat to keep it from sticking to your pan, I suggest a quick spray of canola oil Pam), then add the spinach and give it a quick mix.  Drain the beef, then dice the spinach and meat mixture to a texture that your baby can handle.

Spoon the pasta into a bowl, add your meat/spinach mix, and ladle on a healthy helping of sauce to moisten everything up.  Stir it all together and serve!  

Enjoy!

This was a big hit with my daughter, and surprisingly, my husband as well, who ventured to ask why I don't cook like this for us normally.  It was a good question, one that I contemplated as I poked at leftover noodles and cheese sauce.  Why don't I?

*I like to prepare creamier sauces for my daughter because she outright refuses to drink whole milk, something that is suggested at her age.  This way, I can sneak in the extra calories, calcium, protein and all the other goodness of milk without actually having to watch her choke down an ounce through exaggerated gags and squinted looks of disgust.  She's on her way to winning an Oscar with the performances she puts on when offered milk, but it's something we're working on.