Chili Spiced Deep Fried Ravioli

Creator: Wingee Sin, California
Servings: 24 ravioli
Adventure Ingredients: Ancho Chile Powder

For the pasta:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons water

For the filling:

• 6 oz ricotta cheese, drained of excess liquid
• Honey for drizzling
• 6 oz Scharffen Berger® 70% Cacao Bittersweet Dark Chocolate, shaved
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon of Ancho chile powder

Egg wash:
In a small bowl mix:

• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon water

Chocolate Sauce:

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup corn syrup
• 1 cup Scharffen Berger® Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• 2 ounces Scharffen Berger® 70% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate, finely chopped

Peanut oil for frying

Coating the Ravioli:

• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 cups panko Japanese bread crumbs

Preparation:

Step 1: Making the ravioli

Form a mountain with flour and salt on cutting board. Create a small well in center of mountain, and place eggs and 2 tablespoons of water into well. Knead into a ball and cut ball into six pieces. Roll each piece, flouring each piece first, through a pasta machine until smooth wide strips form. Cut excess off of strips to make uniform pasta strips.

Place 1/2 teaspoon of the ricotta filling at 2-inch intervals along one side of each strip. Drizzle a dash of honey on top of ricotta.

In a bowl, mix together 6 ounces of shaved chocolate with 1 tablespoon of honey and Ancho chile powder. Place 1/2 teaspoon of the chocolate mixture on top of the honey-drizzled ricotta. Use the egg wash to brush along sides of ricotta filling.

Folding each strip lengthwise back over the filling, press along edges of each ravioli. Cut the ravioli with a fluted pastry wheel. Use a fork to seal the ravioli. Place on a cookie sheet.

Step 2: Chocolate sauce:

Whisk together water, sugar, corn syrup, and cocoa powder. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat, and fold in chopped chocolate until melted.

Step 3: Frying the ravioli

Pour peanut oil into a large frying pan (fill to 2 inches in depth). Heat the oil over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 325 degrees.

While the oil is heating, pour the buttermilk and the breadcrumbs into separate shallow bowls. Working in batches, dip ravioli in the buttermilk to coat completely.

Dredge ravioli in the breadcrumbs. Place the ravioli on a baking sheet, and continue with the remaining ravioli. When the oil is hot, fry the ravioli in batches. Turn the ravioli occasionally and cook until golden brown, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried ravioli to paper towel lined cookie sheet to absorb excess oil.

Presentation:

Drizzle the dark chocolate sauce on the ravioli and serve while still warm. Wonderful with port, as it complements the cheese and the chocolate sauce!