Baked Ravioli

Every busy person should have this recipe on file. It’s quick, it’s easy and it’s delicious.

Baked Ravioli

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper, to taste
1 ½ teaspoon dried thyme or oregano (my favorite is oodles of fresh thyme—yum!)
1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes (I have, on occasion, substituted fresh tomatoes for both cans and yes, it’s better, but the canned tomatoes are just fine)
2 pounds store bought ravioli
1 ½ cup shredded mozzarella
½ cup grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 425. Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add thyme (or oregano) and tomatoes and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, breaking up tomatoes with spoon, until sauce is thickened and reduced to about 5 ½ cups, 20-25 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook ravioli in a large pot of boiling salted water just until they float to the top (pasta will continue to cook in oven). Drain pasta; return to pot.

Toss sauce with pasta. Pour pasta into large gratin dish or 9 x 13 baking dish and sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake until golden, 20-25 minutes.

Serves: 4-6, Prep time: 25 minutes, Total time: 50 minutes

My kids all love this meal; in fact it’s one of the few Madeleine requests. Another benefit is it freezes really well so, chances are, if you've had a baby recently this is what I brought you to eat. When my friends aren't procreating I will often double it anyway and freeze a portion for a later date.

I got it out of an old issue of Everyday Food, which is a magazine I recommend to everyone. The magazine is inexpensive and the recipes are easy and usually quite scrumptious with natural, delicious ingredients. If you’re interested in checking it out, here’s their website.