Recipe for Toasted Ravioli / Oven Fried Tortellini: Party Food
The Perfect Party Food
What could be better party food than a pile of crispy, cheese-filled tortellini poppers? Coated in panko and Pecorino and baked instead of fried, this fun to eat treat will be the first plate to be emptied... so make two batches!
Plus, there's no standing over a hot stove or scalding yourself with boiling oil. So get out there and enjoy your guests while these cute pasta pockets bake up.
Cook Time
Ingredients
- One package tortellini or ravioli, any flavor (about 13 ounces when frozen. Fresh pastas usually come in smaller packages.)
- One cup panko crumbs
- 3/4 cup Pecorino or Romano cheese
- Dry oregano to taste
- Dry red pepper flakes to taste, (optional). If you don't like it spicy, omit.
- Two eggs, beaten
- Spray oil for the baking pans
- Your favorite pasta sauce -- I like marinara.
Making Fried Ravioli
- Lay out your ingredients before you start so you don't spend time looking while you're cooking. Also, get your implements: a pasta pot and strainer, two forks, a spoon, one small bowl and one medium bowl, two baking sheets or pans, and a one-cup measure.
- Fill the pasta pot with water and bring it to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Spray the baking sheets with oil.
- Cook the pasta as stated on the package. You will want it fully cooked since there is another process to go... baking it! Then, drain the water and let the pasta cool. Do not rinse off the starch. A little stickiness will help the coating adhere.
- While the pasta is cooking, mix the coating: the panko, cheese, oregano, and red pepper. Add some granulated garlic if you like, but not salt... the cheese will serve as the salty flavoring. Mix it up.
- Crack the eggs and beat them lightly. Add a tablespoon of water if you like.
- One by one, un-stick the drained pasta pieces from each other and drop them into the egg. Use your fingers for this part. Then using the two forks, individually drop each piece of pasta into the coating. Sprinkle the coating over the pasta using the spoon so the crumbs don't become eggy or soggy. Alternatively, dump the crumbs into a plastic bag and drop the pasta in the bag. Then, shake.
- One by one and using the spoon, remove the tortellini and place on the baking sheet. Repeat until the tortellini have all been coated. If you end up with extra crumbs, just sprinkle over the tortellini. They've been touched with raw egg and you really can't do anything else with it, so why waste it? The cheesy crumbs will become crispy and will make a yummy topping for other dishes too.
- Bake for 20 minutes, then turn each piece over and bake for another 10 minutes, or until golden and crispy. They will sound like they are scratching the pan and will look a little like fried shrimp!
- While the tortellini are baking, heat up your favorite jarred tomato sauce or if you're lucky enough to have some homemade sauce instead, use that. Pile onto a plate with a bowl of sauce nearby and let your guests enjoy. These are a very popular finger food, especially for a party or while watching sports.
Ideas for Serving Toasted Ravioli
- Feed a few onto wooden skewers; serve with individual shot glasses of sauce for mess-free cleanup,
- Arrange into a pyramid or stack up vertically instead of piling into a bowl.
- Spell out your favorite team name!