This is a recipe by Rachael Ray from the show “30 Minute Meals,” and what I would consider the first thing I’ve made in the kitchen that I didn’t like. The recipe instructions seemed easy enough (see below), but I kept hitting snags along the way.
For starters, my butter/flour/milk mixture would not thicken up like Rachel said it would. Also, I’m not sure what she means by “fresh ravioli,” so I bought frozen. There wasn’t any mushroom or spinach varieties, so I tried Italian sausage. The raviolis were actually quite good, especially for frozen food.
James, my trooper of a guinea pig, ate his entire portion and said the recipe was “too bold” and “lacked flavor.” Meaning there was just too much going on with the all the cheese and the ravioli and the artichokes (which were also a little big, even after we cut them up). Also, the recipe needed much longer in the oven, probably 10 to 15 minutes, to be thoroughly warmed.
This was suppose to be a 30-minute meal. In all, it took us closer to one hour and fifteen minutes, which included having to make a replacement sauce because the first one didn’t turn out right. I couldn’t finish my dinner, partly because I was just disgusted and exhausted from the process. Fortunately, Burger King’s drive-thru is open 24/7.
Here is the recipe, as it appears on the Food Network website (if you have better luck with it, let me know):
Spinach-Artichoke Ravioli-Lasagna
1 (10-ounce) packages chopped frozen spinach
1/4 stick butter
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 quart milk
Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
Salt and pepper
3 cups ricotta cheese
1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 packages large fresh ravioli cheese, wild mushroom or spinach stuffed varieties
2 (15-ounce) cans artichoke hearts in water, drained and thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Bring a large pot of water to a boil for pasta.
Place oven rack in middle of oven and preheat broiler or oven to 425 degrees F.
Defrost the spinach in the microwave for 10 minutes on high.
While spinach defrosts, heat a medium sauce pot over medium heat. Cut butter into small pieces and melt. Whisk in flour and cook a minute or 2 then whisk in milk. Bring sauce to a bubble, as it begins to thicken, drop heat to low and season it with nutmeg, salt and pepper, to your taste.
Combine ricotta cheese, a little salt and pepper, lemon zest, thyme and garlic in a bowl.
Cook pasta to al dente, 5 to 6 minutes in salted water.
Remove spinach from the microwave and wring it completely dry in a kitchen towel. Open the towel and separate the spinach with your fingers. Pile up the sliced artichokes on your cutting board.
Drain pasta well. Ladle just enough white sauce in the bottom of a lasagna dish to lightly coat it. Top with 1/3 of the pasta. Top the pasta with a layer of half of the ricotta cheese dotted with half of the spinach and artichokes. Thinly cover the veggies with more white sauce then top liberally with grated cheese. Repeat these layers then top your lasagna with the remaining 1/3 of the cooked ravioli, the last of the white sauce and some grated cheese.
Place under hot broiler or into a preheated 425 degree F oven until sauce browns and bubbles, 3 minutes