Ravioli with Brown Butter-Basil Sauce

By á-23163

Here's an easy recipe, although it's better (and considerably more work) if you make your own ravioli. Good alternatives to homemade are fresh pasta from a local pasta maker, or some of the fresh or frozen pastas from a good grocery. In spite of the butter, it's not an overly rich sauce (although it can be if you do more than drizzle it over the pasta). Serve with a fresh green salad and a chewy Italian bread for an easy, light meal!

Ingredients

• 1 T. butter per serving
• 1 T. olive oil per serving
• fresh basil to taste (I used about 1/4 c. per serving)
• 1-2 T. walnut pieces per serving
• cheese ravioli, amount to your liking/appetite per serving
• parmesan cheese

Preparation

Step 1

Have water boiling for pasta when you start the sauce.

In sauce pan, heat butter over medium high heat and cook until browned. Add olive oil and reduce heat. Toss ravioli in boiling water; toss walnuts into butter to brown lightly. Fresh pasta only takes a few minutes to cook so watch carefully.

As you're draining the ravioli, throw the basil in the sauce just to wilt. Plate ravioli and pour sauce over. Pass parmesan separately.

Other ideas: if you like more sauce on your pasta, try adding some chicken or vegetable broth to the sauce just long enough to heat -- a few tablespoons per serving. Try different herbs -- rosemary or sage are both excellent. Try different ravioli -- sweet potato or winter squash are good with sage.