This recipe is a true fusion of Italian and Asian flavours.  The key ingredient in the sauce for these ravioli is vine ripened tomatoes.  If good fresh tomatoes are not available substitute canned chopped tomatoes preferably the brands imported from Italy (which is what I had to do).  When you make this challenging dish, keep the rest of the menu simple.

3 green onions, finely chopped

¾ lb ground chicken or pork

2 T ginger, finely minced

1 T grated or finely minced lemon zest

1 T soya sauce

1 T oyster sauce

½ t freshly ground pepper

40 egg roll skins

1 egg, well beaten

Sauce:

2 T olive oil

6 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 ½ lbs. vine ripened tomatoes, seeded and chopped

½ c fresh basil leaves (I substituted a heaping T of pesto)

1 c white wine

1 T oyster sauce

1 t sugar

1 t cornstarch

½ t Asian chili sauce (I substituted 1 t of red pepper jelly)

½ c pine nuts

In advance:  Mix with your hands the green onions, pork, ginger, ½ the lemon zest, soya sauce, oyster sauce and pepper.

Within 5 hours of serving, fold the dumplings.  Place 1 t filling on a won ton wrapper.  Brush the outside of the skin with beaten egg.  Lay another skin on top then very firmly press the skins together, making sure there are no air pockets trapped inside the ravioli.  Line a tray with a non-stick paper, then place the ravioli on the paper and refrigerate uncovered.  Do not stack or overlapped the ravioli or they will stick together.

Saute the garlic & onions in olive oil until the garlic sizzles then add tomatoes and basil.  Add wine, oyster sauce, sugar, cornstarch, chili sauce and remaining lemon zest.  Reduce the heat and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly.

Toast the pine nuts in a 325 degree oven or in a heavy skillet over a medium heat.

Place the ravioli in rapidly boiling, salted water until they start bobbing to the surface (about 5 mins).  Remove to a colander with a slotted spoon and rinse in warm water.  If serving immediately, place ravioli on heated dinner plates  and spoon sauce then pine nuts and Parmesan over top.  If holding for a future meal, place a small amount of sauce on the bottom of a wide and flat casserole dish.  Place ravioli gingerly on top then add sauce, etc.  Sprinkle with water, cover and reheat in a slow oven.

Kath’s quote:  “The army from Asia introduced a foreign luxury to Rome; it was then the meals began to require more dishes and more expenditure . . . the cook, who had up to that time been employed as a slave of low price, become dear: what had been nothing but a métier was elevated to an art.”–
Livy (Titus Livius) ( 59-17 B.C.)

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