Creating in the kitchen

I really believe that more people should start playing with their food.

Maybe that sounds like kind of a silly statement to you, but in my mind, playing with our food is one of the strongest ways that we can connect with these life-giving elements! I find that it really helps me to appreciate every part of the process that leads up to eating the food – planting the seeds, nurturing the baby plants, caring for the fruits, the harvest, the meal… it’s such a beautiful thing!

But “playing with our food” is often frowned upon, or we are scolded and told that “big girls/boys don’ t do that”.

I disagree.

If more people were to play with their food, just think of all of the creative and wonderful things that they would be cooking! Think of the new types of food and the new flavours that they would try! Think of the incredible connections they could build with the friends and family that they invited to join them in a meal!

Food has always been about connection for me, ever since I was a kid. My family is big on gatherings and getting people together, and that trait rubbed off on me pretty strongly. I love getting everyone together for a meal, and I have always loved mixing flavours and creating new food concepts… and dinner last night was no different.

I call this “Lasagnioli”. It is exactly what it sounds like – lasagna made out of ravioli.

This simple (but brilliant) dish happened because I was making homemade ravioli, but I couldn’t decide how to cook it. Pan fry? Bake? Boil? And then it hit me… I should turn it into lasagna.

Genius.

It’s actually a really simple process – just make the ravioli, then line then up in a baking tin on top of a layer of pasta sauce (I actually just used about half a jar of strained tomatoes, and YUM!). Top with grated mozzarella cheese, then build in another layer of ravioli, topped with sauce and cheese. Bake for a bit just to get everything all melty, then sprinkle with Parmesan and fresh parsley before serving.

Honestly, this may be my new favourite way to do ravioli! It creates a bite with so much cheese and beautiful meat and tomato flavours. It looks classy enough to serve for a date night, but is also easy enough for a family dinner mid-week. You can stuff the ravioli with whatever you want!

Enjoy!

“Lasagnioli”:

· 1 package wonton wrappers (I like using the square ones for this)

· 1 pound lean ground beef or pork

· 1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated

· 2 cups tomato sauce (I usually use a jar of strained tomatoes for this)

· 2 tsp. dried oregano

· 2 tsp. dried parsley

· 1 tsp. dried Thai basil

· Parmesan cheese, to serve

1) Preheat the oven to 375 F

2) In a skillet over medium heat, cook the ground meat with the garlic, oregano and basil until cooked through

3) Mix in the grated mozzarella cheese and stir to combine

4) Lay out a few of the wonton wrappers on a clean work surface. (Cover the unused wrappers as you work, they tend to dry out quickly!) Top with about ½ a tablespoon of the meat and cheese mixture. Dip your dinger in a bowl of water and moisten the edges of the wonton wrapper, then fold to create a package. Line these up on a baking sheet and cover with a clean tea towel as you work

5) Spread 1 cup of the tomato sauce in a deep baking dish. Line up a layer of the ravioli on top of the sauce. Top with grated mozzarella cheese. Add another layer of ravioli, topped with sauce. Top the whole thing with more grated cheese and sprinkle with parsley

6) Bake for about 15 – 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and everything is warmed through. I like to broil it under a hot broiler for a minute or two before serving just to get the top all crispy!

7) Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley. Serve with a tossed salad and garlic toast