Rainy day food.
What does that look like for you?
For me its something warm and comforting. Green Island Sandwiches. Chocolate Chip Cookies. Chocolate chip cookies that have their own heat. Baked cheesy pasta.
I think we brought Wisconsin rainy day weather with us to LA. Its ok though, I don’t have a high need to lay on the beach. I do have a high need to eat pasta.
This is another one of my most requested recipes. Its actually one of the first things I learned how to make when I got serious about learning to cook. I’m hoping those two facts can help convey to you both how delicious and how easy this dish is.
You may not have made your own tomato sauce before, but let me tell you, it’s super easy and it makes a huge difference in the flavor. Canned tomatoes give it a fresh taste without taking a lot of work.
You have some wiggle room in how much pasta you use here, especially if you plan on eating this with some nice crusty bread to soak up the sauce. I’ve used as much as 2 1/2 pounds of ravioli and as little as 1 1/2 pounds. Just use whatever amount you can find in your grocery store or what will be a good fit for your family.
No matter what, this makes a ton of food. Its great for parties or stretching one night of cooking throughout the week.
Baked Ravioli
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion,, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves,, minced
- Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme or oregano
- 28 ounces canned whole tomatoes
- 28 ounces canned crushed tomatoes
- 2 pounds store bought ravioli
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Spray a large gratin dish with cooking spray.
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the thyme and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, breaking up the tomatoes with a spoon, until the sauce is thickened and reduced, 20-25 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook the ravioli in a large pot of boiling water just shy of package directions. They will continue to cook in the oven. Drain the pasta, then return it to the pot. Toss the sauce with the pasta. Pour the pasta into the prepared dish and sprinkle with the cheeses. Bake until golden, 20-25 minutes. Cool slightly before serving.
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