Delicious Disney..Sonoma Goat Cheese Ravioli

A trip to Disney makes so many fabulous memories.  A Disney adventure is filled by rides, song, sites, water, fireworks, and on and on, but for me…..fabulous food is an absolute must and can tie all these memories together.  There is nothing better than rebuilding a Disney recipe with great Disney music as an accompaniment- that Magic can continue even at home.  For me being an avid foodie and schooled chef, Disney dining holds a special place in my heart and always, and I do mean always, provides new inspiration and magical delicious surprises.  I love trying something new and then learning out how to make this new delicacy.  We all know that WDW has the most concentrated, world renowned food and restaurants in one place, save maybe New York City (and who needs that hassle).  Think about it, the world’s eatable goodies in Epcot, Victoria and Albert’s, Narcossee’s, Jiko, Brown Derby, Artist Pointe, and The California Grille. A special entrée can’t be beat but sometimes takes a lot of time, difficult ingredients, and the TLC of the chef, to make it perfect.  I’m not knocking em, I’m just saying……But if it’s a quick, mind-blowing special little trick that you can’t get enough of, can’t wait to eat and share with others, and you can’t wait till the next time you make it, a delectable appetizer is hard to beat.  There are one, two, or more of these awesome intros at every Disney dining experience, easy to pass up, BUT DON’T.  Here is one that will knock your socks off, simple, delicious, and perfect with a salad, nice bread, a glass of wine, and it may just turn into one of your favorites.  Hint: play Bella Notte from Lady and the Tramp while enjoying this wonderful dish.

Delicious Disney…Sonoma Goat Cheese Ravioli

California Grill * Disney’s Contemporary Resort

Chef de Cuisine: Brian Piasecki

This dish is perfect as a gluten free or vegetarian offering.

This recipe is fabulous because your Mouseketeers can help….

1 pound soft mild goat cheese, crumbled

5 1/2 ounces aged goat cheese, crumbled (I used Cypress Grove Midnight Moon- Product of Holland from Whole Foods)

1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs (I used Progresso Itallian Style)

2 tablespoons store-bought basil pesto (I used home made pesto)

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons Roasted Garlic Puree (recipe follows)

1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, or to taste

16 egg roll wrappers (I used Won Ton wrappers)

1 large egg and 1 tablespoon water for egg wash ( I only used water no egg)

Clear Tomato Broth, optional (recipe follows)

Serves 4 to 6

1.  In a large bowl, stir together the mild goat cheese, aged goat cheese, bread crumbs, pesto, olive oil, roasted garlic puree, salt, and pepper until well combined.

2.  On a work surface, lay out 8 egg roll wrappers and brush each with the egg wash.  With a sharp knife, mark each wrapper into 4 squares, taking care not to cut all of the way through.  Place about 1 tablespoon of the goat cheese mixture in the center of each square.  Cover with the 8 remaining egg roll wrappers and press the edges together.  (I did not want to take this much time so I used one wrapper per ravioli and folded it over in a triangle shape)

3.  With a knife, cut each double wrapper with filling into 4 squares, to yield 32 squares of filled ravioli.  press the edges together.  ( if you are not using the ravioli immediately, sprinkle them lightly with cornmeal and store refrigerated between layers of waxed paper.)

4.  When ready to serve, cook the ravioli in a large pot of boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes.  Drain completely.

5.  Serve with clear tomato broth, if desired.  Top with a chiffonade of basil and sun dried tomatoes as well as a grating of fresh Parmasean cheese.

Cooks’ Notes:  If you don’t want to make the tomato broth, top the ravioli with chopped, seeded ripe tomatoes or a tomato juice “cocktail” also makes a suitable broth.

Clear Tomato Broth

15 whole vine-ripened tomatoes (I used tomatoes I had canned)

1 teaspoon salt

Makes 4 cups

1.  In a blender, in batches, coarsely chop the tomatoes with the salt. (I used an immersion blender or stick blender because they clean up so easily)

2.  Place the chopped tomatoes in a large sieve lined with a double layer of damp cheesecloth, set it over a bowl, and let the mixture drain in the refrigerator for 24 hours to collect the liquid.  Discard the tomato pulp and reserve the liquid.  (I have a hard time throwing away food so I reserved the pulp to use as tomato paste)

Roasted Garlic Puree

1 whole head garlic

1 tablespoon olive oil

Makes 2 tablespoons

1.  Preheat over to 400 degrees fahrenheit.

2.  Cut off the stem and top third of 1 whole garlic head.

3.  Place the garlic on a sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil and drizzle with olive oil.  (I cooked alot of garlic because we love roasted garlic as you can see I just cook it in a bowl covered with foil)

 

4.  Wrap the garlic with foil, seal the edges tightly, and roast for 1 hour.

5.  Remove the package from the oven, open carefully, and let the garlic cool slightly.

6.  Scrape or squeeze the pulp from the garlic cloves.

What to drink:  Sauvignon Blanc is a classic match with goat cheese, and Mason Sauvignon Blanc from Napa Valley has the structure and acidity to nicely complement this dish.  (I used a wine from Cupcake Vineyards because that is what I had on hand)

Well… as suggested, easy (our 2-year old master of the pasta made it), pretty quick, and absolutely worth the effort, this Sonoma Goat Cheese Pasta, paired with some lighter fare to balance the calories and some nostalgic Disney music is a transformation back to The Kingdom, not to mention, an edible treat that will thrill your family or guests.  Don’t stop at the Pasta, as Disney chefs and food imagineers, inspire with all their tasty gifts.  There are super special appetizers at every Disney restaurant and I’d advise spending some time making that first choice.  When you hit that enevitable diamond in the appetizer menu, don’t forget- you can take it home and relive that special, memorable occasion.  Don’t let the Magic stop at the parks….keep on eating and make it Magical!

One final note- just because this Sonoma Goat Cheese Pasta is filled with unbelievable cheese tastes, don’t believe for one minute that Mickey had any influence here in my first submission.  These are AWESOME on their own.

So many memorable vacation moments occur during a fabulous meal so hopefully you will be able to create your own special memories at home through Disney cuisine.

 

Happy cooking and bon appetit!