Chef Eve 101 Makes: Maria’s Italian Deli Ravioli and Meatballs

No, I didn’t just go to Maria’s and order dinner and write a post about it.  There was one, maybe two, more steps.  The first step was that was when I was there ordering dinner I spied some really cool items in their freezer: Ziploc bags of meatballs, cheese ravioli and spinach ravioli.  About a dozen in each bag.  I figured, heck, this would be good to have on hand when we decide that another dinner I made had sucked and/or it was too cold/wet/hot/humid to go out to dinner.

Recipe (Step Two)

 

Ingredients 

6 thawed Maria’s meatballs (about 4 hours or less)

18 frozen cheese ravioli

Water for boiling (splash of olive oil and salt, just like my Italian mama taught me)

Fresh garlic bread from Ralphs (or your market of choice)

One jar of Ragu (or your preferred jarred spaghetti sauce)

Green salad

’09 Pure Cru Sangio Vetta (Pairing note: Pair your food with the wine it’s meant to go with.  i.e. Italian food with an Italian wine!)

 

photo 3Directions

Open the wine and have a splash.

Preheat oven at 350 degrees.

Bring Ragu to a boil, add meatballs, lower to a simmer for 30 minutes.

Boil water.

Just before you put ravioli in to boil begin to bake bread. (approximately for 15 minutes)

For the last ten minutes that the bread is baking, softly boil the ravioli. (I’ve learned that homemade ravioli can be tender.  These were, but none burst.  Nice fluffy pillows – see photo.)

Serves 3 (Though the meatballs weren’t huge, one was enough.  And though we planned 6 ravioli each we had about 4 leftover.  So I would say, if you are having the garlic bread and salad, this could serve 4.)

 

My tasting notes on the Sangio Vetta

All Napa grapes, 25% Cabernet Franc, 75% Sangiovese. Has received several gold star medals, as many of his wines do: Orange County, San Francisco, etc.  The wine is made like a Brunello with a third year in barrel, and blended like a Super Tuscan.  A $28 bottle of wine – a price winemaker Mitch Cosentino can do even with all that time using up space and barrels in the aging!

Chocolate covered black cherry cordials, one-day old spaghetti sauce (the way it should be served), milky chocolate; balanced, dry, great black cherry and smoke finish. This was my favorite during a full tasting.  (More tasting notes on Pure Cru Wines: http://evewine101.com/2013/12/06/the-pure-cru-wine-experience-with-pure-cosentino/