This is an incredibly easy to fix recipe that you can put together in minutes and leave to bake for an hour in the oven while you do other things. The ravioli bake is similar to lasagna but easier. You can make the dish with homemade or store-bought sauce, depending on how much time you have and what you have available. The difference in this recipe and similar ravioli bakes is that this version is topped with a white sauce. The sauce covers the dish and seeps into the ravioli, adding flavor and creaminess. The sauce is simple to make, and you won't need fancy ingredients. You can make the sauce in minutes, and it really does add considerably to the dish. How does the ravioli bake taste? A little like lasagna, only with cheese ravioli rather than lasagna noodles. All the key elements are there--tomato sauce, pasta, and plenty of cheese--ricotta (in the ravioli), Parmesan, and mozzarella. Enjoy!
White Sauce Topped Cheese Ravioli Bake -- Serves 4+
20-ounce bag of frozen cheese ravioli
2 1/2 - 3 cups of spaghetti or tomato sauce (homemade or store bought marinara)
1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese, divided
2 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons of flour
1 1/2 cups of milk
Pinch of nutmeg (optional)
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of pepper
Spritz a deep dish pie plate or a casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray. Dump (ahem, pour) the cheese ravioli into the dish. Stir in the tomato sauce and half of the mozzarella. In a skillet or chef's pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and keep whisking until the flour turns golden. Whisk in the milk (cold milk works best) gradually, whisking all the time. Whisk in the salt, pepper, and a little nugmeg, if you like. Keep whisking gently until the mixture is smooth and thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. This will take about five minutes. Turn off the heat and whisk in a tablespoon of Parmesan. Pour the white sauce over the ravioli mixture. Top the white sauce evenly with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake the ravioli for about an hour or until bubbly and spotting brown in places. Remove the ravioli from the oven and let it stand for 10 minutes to firm up a little before serving it.
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