Radical Ravioli

I have to admit that since I've taken so long to post these recipes, I have forgotten the exact way I made them. But, what I do remember is that they were absolutely delicious and there is no way to mess them up. This gives you the opportunity to create your own dish with a helpful guide.
When my mom was here I took her to our local farmers' market so she could experience one of my favorite things in the Bay Area. We found beautiful looking chard, baby zucchini, and tomatoes that we had to bring home with us. With these amazing items we decided to make chard and ricotta ravioli with a fresh tomato sauce and baked zucchini topped with breadcrumbs. To round out the meal, we made huge breadsticks for everyone.


Chard and Ricotta Ravioli with a Fresh Tomato Sauce

1 bunch chard, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup ricotta (any fat content)
salt and pepper to taste

wonton wrappers or fresh pasta sheets (we made the pasta with half whole wheat flour and half white flour)

3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup onion, chopped
3-5 tomatoes (preferably heirloom, but whatever you have on hand is perfect), chopped
2 Tbs. parsley, chopped
balsamic vinegar, splash

Parmesan cheese, grated

1. To prepare the filling, saute the garlic and chard in a skillet over medium heat until the chard has wilted. Take off the heat and add to the ricotta, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
2. To fill the ravioli, take a dollop of the filling and place in the wonton wrapper or along the pasta sheet. Fold the wonton or pasta over and seal with water along the edges. Press with a fork to ensure a good seal. (The pasta water becomes quite messy if the ravioli don't have good seals.)
3. Cook the pasta in boiling water for about 2 minutes. You know when they are done because the ravioli will float to the top.
4. Meanwhile, prepare the tomato sauce by sauteing the garlic and onion in a skillet coated with olive oil over medium heat until the onions are soft and the garlic is fragrant. Add the tomatoes, parsley, balsamic vinegar, and some salt and pepper, tossing with the garlic and onion. Allow the tomatoes to simply get hot, then remove the pan from the burner.
5. Plate the ravioli by putting several ravioli on the dish and topping with the tomato sauce and grated Parmesan cheese.


Baked Zucchini

This is an incredibly easy side dish that is also incredibly delicious. Don't think that because there aren't a lot of ingredients that this recipe isn't worth trying out. You'll be pleasantly surprised.

baby zucchini, halved (you will want about 1-2 zucchini per person)
Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
olive oil

1. Place the halved zucchini in a baking dish, cut side up. Cover with breadcrumbs and drizzle with olive oil. Place in a preheated 375 oven. Bake for 25 minutes or until the zucchini are tender and the breadcrumbs are golden brown.