Toasted Cheese Ravioli

Normally, pasta dishes come served nice and smooth, topped with melt in your mouth cheese and sauce. But this is no normal pasta dish! I decided to partake in Meatless Monday last week, without really relizing it, because this was so delicious that I didn't ever feel the need to add meat to the dish. Baked off in the oven, instead of frying the ravioli, makes them crunchy without all of the greasy fat. I mean, these are basically just crunchy, toasty, little clouds filled with spinach and cheese, topped with my favorite marinara sauce! Yum, yum, yum!

Toasted Cheese Ravioli

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. frozen large cheese ravioli
• 3 egg whites, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
• 2 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 3 tbsp. freshly grated romano cheese
• jar of your favorite marinara sauce

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Line a baking sheet with tin foil, and place a wire rack on top. Spray with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

Add the egg whites to small bowl, and the flour, panko, Itlaina seasoning, and romano cheese in a larger bowl.

Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook the ravioli for half of the recommended time. I cooked mine for about 3 minutes. Then drain them quickly, and let cool water rinse over them for about 15 seconds so that they cool to the touch.

Once they are cool enough, dip each ravioli in egg, then the bread crumb mixture, pressing well to adhere. Place all breaded ravioli on the wire rack on the baking sheet. Spray each top with a quick shot of cooking spray. Bake off in the oven for 18-20 minutes. 

Serve hot with marinara for dipping.