Nonnas Original Baked Ravioli Parmegiana Recipes

Steps:

• For the marinara sauce, preheat a saucepan on medium heat and add 3 tablespoons oil. Once the oil begins to move around, add onion and cook, stirring, until it becomes translucent. Add garlic and let simmer for 2 minutes, then stir. Add tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper. Stir ingredients and let cook on medium-low heat, stirring often, for about 2 hours. Low and slow wins the race...
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• For the chicken cutlets, spread flour in a plate. Spread breadcrumbs in another plate. Put eggs in a bowl and beat until thoroughly combined for the egg wash. Butterfly and separate each chicken breast into 2 pieces, then pound to your desired thickness. Dredge each individual piece in the flour on both sides, then dip in egg wash and coat it entirely with egg. Place in breadcrumbs and press firmly on both sides, pounding lightly to ensure each side is coated.
• Add remaining 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil to a saute pan on medium heat and have a plate ready with paper towels. Test oil to see if ready by adding a speck of flour; once it is ready, the flour will sizzle. Place breaded cutlets in oil in batches and cook until golden brown on each side. Remove chicken to paper towels to absorb excess oil.
• Lightly coat a cookie sheet with marinara sauce, then place chicken on top. Top each piece with more marinara sauce, then generously cover with mozzarella. Bake until cheese is melted, about 10 minutes.
• Cook and plate your favorite ravioli, then cover ravioli with marinara sauce and place two pieces of delicious Chicken Parmigiano on top of ravioli. Garnish with parsley. Enjoy!

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400ºF.
• Cook ravioli as directed on package, omitting salt.
• Meanwhile, heat oil in large saucepan on medium heat. Add onions; cook 5 min. or until tender, stirring occasionally and adding garlic for the last min. Stir in tomatoes, basil and pepper. Bring to boil; simmer on low heat 10 min., stirring occasionally.
• Drain ravioli; stir into tomato mixture. Spoon into 3-qt. casserole sprayed with cooking spray; sprinkle with cheeses.
• Bake 20 to 25 min. or until heated through.

Steps:

• Put 1 of the chicken breasts between 2 large pieces of plastic wrap and use a meat tenderizer or rolling pin to lightly pound and flatten the chicken until it is a little less than 1/2-inch thick. Repeat with the second chicken breast. Set aside.
• Put the flour, eggs and panko in 3 separate small baking dishes or shallow bowls and season each with salt and pepper. Add 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan and the Italian seasoning to the panko. Sprinkle the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. One at a time, dredge each breast in the flour, dip in the egg and let excess drip back into the bowl, then coat with panko.
• Add enough canola oil to a large skillet to come to a depth of 1/2 to 1 inch. Heat the oil between medium and medium-high heat until it starts to shimmer. Test the temperature of the oil by sprinkling several panko breadcrumbs into the oil; if the crumbs start to bubble immediately and quickly turn golden brown, the oil is ready for frying. Carefully add both chicken breasts to the oil and fry until golden brown and a thermometer inserted into the center of both of the breasts registers 165 degrees F, 4 to 5 minutes per side; use a clean spatula or tongs to flip the chicken.
• Transfer the fried breasts to a cooling rack set over a baking sheet and season with a pinch of salt. Position an oven rack 5 to 6 inches from the broiler and preheat the broiler to high.
• Spread 1/4 cup marinara sauce inside of a 2-quart flame-proof baking dish. Lay the ravioli in a single layer in the dish. Top with the chicken, then spoon the remaining 1 1/2 cups marinara evenly over the chicken and some of the ravioli. Sprinkle the chicken and ravioli with the mozzarella and the remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Broil until the cheese is melted and browned on top, 3 to 5 minutes, depending on your broiler. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve immediately.

Steps:

• 1. Think about how many raviolis each person would eat...I USUALLY MAKE more B/C 1. WE ALWAYS seem to have moochers looking for a great Italian meal; 2. we have leftovers to bring to work!-DO NOTE: due to the copious amounts of cheese herein- THIS RECIPE IS A FILLER UPPER FOR SURE! KIDS licking the plate is guaranteed! NOTE: for a romantic dinner for 2= you should make(2)-1.lb bags...because you can give the rest to your man to take home and think about how big the rock has to be to get this meal for the rest of his life!
• 2. Boil the water. SALT IT TOO! EVERY ITALIAN HATES PASTA THAT IS NOT SEASONED WHILE BOILING.Using any square or rectangle casserole dish, spread some Sunday Gravy (only the sauce/no meat here yet)on the bottom to prevent the casserole from sticking. When the water has a rolling boil to it- add a lite splash of olive oil to it (to prevent the ravioli from sticking). Toss in the ravioli and UNDERcook it. When they start floating to the top, they usually need to go a bit more to cook- BUT we NEED to take them out b/c they'll finish in the oven- and we don't want them to come out "MUSHADA"..(or mushy). They need to be al'dente!!!The cheese inside will also finish cooking in the oven while baking.
• 3. Drain the raviolis and put BACK in the pot. Drizzle a tiny bit of EVOO to coat and prevent them from sticking together while assembling the casserole. Have the grated cheese and shredded mozzarella side by side in dishes ready for layering.
• 4. Depending the size of the casserole used will govern the amount of mozzarella and grated cheese you use. Keep in mind NOT to make 'too cheesy" due to the cheese in the raviolis. Lay out each ravioli side by side in a grid formation. Cover with a ladle or 2 of gravy, top with 1-2 handfuls of mozzarella, then(1)heavy spread out sprinkle of grated cheese. Next, lay out (ON TOP) the 2nd layer of ravioli, followed by the sauce,mozz,and grated cheese. (NOTE:I presented Nonna w/a variation to this recipe by adding little broken bits of meatballs and sausages in between the layers and she kissed me & said DELIZIOSO!)Authentic Italian Pork Ragu (recipe coming) goes amazing with this casserole! Finish the layering process, top w/remaining mozzarella and grated cheese.
• 5. Bake uncovered in a 350 oven for 30mins or until browned and bubbly. I have made this many times and frozen it BEFORE the baking process. Just seal it up w/foil and let it thaw out before baking it. You can bake it covered and then uncover it halfway if you think its not thawed out enough. Stick a thermometer inside to check its cooked inside to at least 165degrees.Nobody likes cold in the middle ravioli!