Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Tart Chicken Purses

... So named because goat cheese and yogurt makes the feeling deliciously tart.


I'm a beginner at pasta making but it's fun (and delicious). My techniques have a long way to go especially making the dough. If you'd like to try making stuffed pasta but that part makes you nervous, use some ready-made wrappers. I was short on time so that's what I did last night.

I wasn't feeling well last night, but I had told NH homemade ravioli was on the menu. So I made a large batch of ravioli and froze the majority of them for another occasion, leaving a serving for him to enjoy. The ease of freezing this pasta makes them an excellent make-ahead dinner for guests you want to impress. :-)

I've used Azumaya round gyoza wrappers when making asian dumplings in the past but had not made ravioli. They are easy to work with and a nice change/substitute from homemade dough. And they are easy to shape into cute little purses.


Tart Chicken Purses

1 chicken breast, cooked and finely shredded
4 large basil leaves, finely chopped
about 2 oz. goat cheese
2 Tablespoons parmesan cheese
a few Tablespoons nonfat plain yogurt (enough to moisten and bring the mixture together
salt and pepper
1 egg, beaten
1 package round pasta wrappers

*This filling recipe was born from what was on hand but it turned out excellent. The proportions are approximate since I measured nothing.

Mix the filling ingredients thoroughly in a bowl. Remove the pasta wraps from the package and cover with a damp paper towel. Place 4 wraps in front of you and place 1/2 teaspoon of the filling in the middle of each wrap.


Brush the edges with egg wash.


Pull together and twist firmly until secure.


Place each purse on a baking sheet, and repeat with the remaining filling and wraps. I was able to make 53 purses, due to about 6 wraps that cracked in the package.


Place the baking sheet in the freezer for at least an hour. Once they are frozen, transfer to a freezer bag.


When ready to eat, bring a pot of water to a boil and add the desired amount of pasta. Cook for about 3-4 minutes, until the purses float to the top. Serve immediately.

~

I served this to NH on top of some spicy Arrabiata sauce with a little parmesan.
I'm sorry I have no photo of the finished dish. It was devoured before I could take one.

For my dinner, I had oatmeal with a little flax, cinnamon and granola; later an orange and two of my figs. I felt better after eating. I have a habit of not eating enough during the day and hunger turns to feelings of sickness. Not a good habit.

6 comments:

LizNoVeggieGirl said...

Your pasta-making skills are wonderful!

Hope you feel better!

Erica said...

Good for you! This looks awesome....hmmm I must try!

Anonymous said...

Ooooh these sound delicious!

Erica said...

Do you find in the wraps in the frozen section or near the Asian foods?

Let me know :)

Sarah said...

Good question Erica, because I've found them in both- sort of. They should always been in the refrigerated section because they are fresh pasta. But if you have an Asian supermarket near you you'll find a few different options. I have a few near me because the Asian population is quite large on the Peninsula.

If you are just looking in your local supermarket, check near the ethnic foods, or where other fresh pasta is located.

Anonymous said...

Good for people to know.