Quick Meal: Ravioli Innamatori

I wanted to share one of my favorite quick dinner recipes.  I came across this dish at a tiny hole-in-the-wall Italian place in San Diego and had to figure it out for myself!

When I say this is quick and easy, I really mean it!  It takes just 5 ingredients and less than10 minutes to have a very flavorful and filling meal!

Let's round up the ingredients: pre-made ravioli of your choice, heavy cream, gorgonzola cheese, butter, and walnuts.

While you're working on your sauce, start boiling your water and cooking the ravioli.  I find that starting the sauce just before I toss the ravioli in gives me just the right amount of time for everything to be done simultaneously.

Now let's slice off about a tablespoon of butter and put that in a skillet on medium-low to medium.  Be careful not to let it get too hot.  We want to saute the walnuts without browning the butter too much.

Once the butter gets nice and melty, add in the walnut pieces.  I used a half cup here, but you can add more or less depending on your preference.  You can also smash the pieces to a fine walnut dust beforehand if you prefer that texture.

How good does that look?!

I love sauteing anything in butter.  I love the smell and the sight.  Yum!

Let the walnuts saute for a few minutes.  We just want to capture a little bit of walnut flavor.  Now, let's add in the heavy cream and cheese.  Depending on how much you love gorgonzola cheese, you may want to adjust the ratio here.  I use about a cup and a half of cream and about 3oz of cheese.  This gives me a pretty full, cheesy taste.  Go ahead and taste the sauce as you're making it.  If it's a bit heavy on flavor, you can add more cream to smooth it out a bit.

Let the cheese melt completely, stirring occasionally until the sauce becomes smooth.  By now, the ravioli should be ready to drain and smother with this delicious sauce.

Pop the ravioli and sauce on a plate, and bam!  You're done!  I like to make a bit of garlic bread to sop up all the leftover loveliness!  No garnishes or fancy presentation this time.  It's a quick and easy meal that's perfect for a weeknight!  Easy to read recipe is below!  Enjoy!

Ravioli Innamatori
Serves 3-4
Prep Time: 10 minutes

1 T. butter
1 1/2 c. heavy cream
3 oz. gorgonzola cheese crumbles
1/2 c. walnut pieces
1 package Buitoni ravioli

1.  Prepare ravioli per package instructions - boil for 7-9 minutes.
2.  Heat butter in a medium skillet over medium heat and saute walnuts for a few minutes.
3.  Add heavy cream and cheese and stir occasionally until melted.
4.  Drain ravioli and top with Innamatori sauce.
5.  Enjoy!