Ravioli in a New Light - Deconstructed Pesto

Ever want to take something and dismantle it and put it back together in hopes that it would spring back to life?
I once tried to help an old boyfriend put together a car from the frame up.
There were missing pieces, a lot of swearing but in the end it ran well (I refuse to say that a 1981 camaro is a good looking machine).

As I sat perched on my dining room chair staring at some pesto chicken sausages that we picked up on one of our trips to the Mennonite butchers I got to thinking.... I could eat that with just about anything but I loved the idea that it had pesto all intertwined with the chicken.  And then I remembered the camaro.  Presto (teehee).
What about a sauce that had all the flavors of pesto but not in the traditional sense?
So out of my chair I bounded and into the kitchen a went.

It worked.
It was delicious.
We will have it again.

It was quite simple to prepare.  A few steps really.

Getting your sauce ingredients ready

Along with your ravioli stuffing

And I even cheated - I used wonton wrappers and then made em all pretty like with my pastry cutter!

Hope you'll try this out and enjoy it like we did!

I'm Listening to: I Love Rock n Roll - Joan Jett & the Blackhearts (1981)

Chicken Pesto Sausage Ravioli with Deconstructed Pesto Sauce

3-4 Pesto chicken sausages
1 onion
1 c. parmesan cheese, shredded/divided
wonton wrappers
1/4 c. butter
a few tbsp. pine nuts
1/4 c. basil, chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

To prepare your filling remove the meat from the casings and add to a frying pan.
Cook 5-7 minutes or until completely cooked.  Set aside to cool.  Add 1 small onion to the pan and saute until translucent.  Set aside.
While the sausage meat is cooling gather the ingredients you need for your sauce.
Grate your parmesan cheese, coarsely chop your pine nuts, chiffonade your basil, chop your garlic.
Also, have a little dish of water handy for when you are ready to get your raviolis together.

Once you can touch your meat mixture you are ready.
In a food processor add the meat and onion, I like to add a little basil to this step too but that's not necessary.
Pulse a few times to incorporate and to make the mixture a little more pasty in nature which will make it easier to fill your wonton wrappers.  Add in half of the parmesan cheese and pulse one or two more times.

Working with a few (like 6 or so) wonton wrappers at a time (keep the others covered under a damp paper towel - so they don't dry out) place them in a row on your workspace.
Place 1 tsp. of meat in the center (you could add a little more if you wish), using your finger wet the outsides of the wontons and place another wonton on top.  Carefully seal by pressing along the meat area first working your way to the edges.
**When making any stuffed wonton or pasta you need to make sure the packet is sealed completely and there are no air bubbles**
If you wish to you can use a pastry cutter to make the edges look nicer :)
Continue until all of your mixture is gone (or your wontons are) and place on a floured cookie sheet.

Bring some salted water up to a boil while you begin your sauce.
Simply melt the butter slowly, almost like you are trying to make it brown.  About 3-5 minutes in add your pine nuts and garlic, saute for 1 min and add in your basil. (at this point drop your raviolis in the water - they will be finished quickly, when they float to the top they are done)
Turn the heat off your sauce.
Plate a few raviolis on a dish, spoon over the browned butter sauce and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!