So, you know those videos you see scrolling facebook? The ones with weird food pairings that look good but like…you aren’t going to make them. Well, I made one and it turned out great!

Zucchini “Ravioli” sounds kind of silly. IS IT REALLY RAVIOLI IF IT’S NOT MADE WITH LEGIT PASTA? These are why I roll my eyes at these types of recipes usually and keep scrolling. Stop trying to reinvent everything internet. I like things to be original and what they were meant to be. As authentic as possible, if you will. Maybe I can come up with a new name for these…Zucchini …CHEESE POCKETS? Ok, now I’m just getting off track.

Regardless of if you are trying to go gluten-free or just looking to cut down on the pasta (or just trying to find any new way to cook up your endless zucchini supply). This meal ends up being delicious (and nutritious?). The pockets have a bunch of cheesy goodness inside and while most recipes I saw said fresh basil inside was an option, I’d say it’s a necessity. It really makes the dish.

The major issue I found with this recipe is that with a vegetable peeler you end up with a lot of extra squash. I could have grated the middle and sauteed it or put it in a zucchini bread…most of ours went to jaws-

All of this, of course, reminds me that I need to buy myself a legit mandolin. I realized this as I was writing this AFTER I also was making zucchini lasagna by carefully slicing squash as thin as I could with a sharp knife. I could really save myself a lot of time. Alas, my food processor just died on me the other day so watch out online shopping- Mama’s about to drop some dough on gadgets.

The fun part, of course, is making the cute little pockets. 

This recipe is so easy to throw together. We have a ton of tomatoes from the garden, but since we hadn’t crushed any yet, (and I wasn’t about to go all out making the sauce on a Wednesday) I opted for my backup jarred sauce I always keep on hand.  I also always keep my husband around because of years of design work has made my wrist so weak I can’t open anything properly.

The end product was delicious and easy to throw together for my busy family. And if you’re into it- it’s also gluten-free, low carb, and has a stupid name to boot. I guess I should give those silly cooking videos more time than I have been. Enjoy!

 

 

Zucchini Ravioli

• 2 medium/large zucchini
• 1 jar of your favorite tomato sauce
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 cup ricotta
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella, divided (ok, I definitely use more than 1 cup but I’m trying to be good for your sake)
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
• 1 egg
• 2 Tbsp fresh chopped basil
•  salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut off the end of your zucchini and slice thin strips lengthwise with a vegetable peeler (or mandolin if you’re fancy). In a separate bowl- mix together your ricotta, garlic, egg, 1/2 cup mozzarella, parmesan, basil, salt, and pepper. take 2 zucchini strips and lay them horizontally slightly overlapping, then take 2 more and lay vertically on top, to create a ‘T’ shape. Add a dollop of your cheese mixture and fold and roll over. In a shallow baking dish, coat the bottom with a little tomato sauce and lay your ravioli fold side down. Continue until you’ve used all your zucchini.  Top with remaining tomato sauce and cheese. Bake for about 20-30 minutes, until the cheese is melted and started getting golden. Let it sit for about 10 minutes before serving. Top with any remaining fresh basil.

Pro tip: Don’t cry over ripped zucchini, near the middle of my squash some pieces didn’t come out perfectly shaped and photo-worthy. I was still able to salvage them by piecing a few smaller ones together and being strategic with my folding! No waste here!