Peking Raviolis with Eggplant

Directions

Slice eggplant in half lengthwise and cut off stems.

Place face down on a cookie sheet.

Use non-stick spray if the sheet is not already non stick.

Bake for about 1 hour.

The eggplant should give to the touch.

Take the eggplant out of the oven and allow to cool.

While they are cooling mix the rest of the ingredients in a bowl to make a marinade.

When the eggplant is cool, they should be a bit shriveled.

With a spoon, scoop out the insides into the marinade.

Let sit for at least 15 minutes.

Pour the eggplant and marinade into a food processor to purée for about 30 seconds.

The result should look totally inedible. :-)

Fill a large stock pan with about 1½ inches of water and set on the stove to boil.

If you are using wonton wrappers or ravioli wrappers you can skip this step.

Take out two eggroll wrappers and cut in even quarters.

Place out about 8 wrapper pieces on a flat clean surface like a cutting board.

Spoon about ½ teaspoon of the eggplant purée into the middle of each wrapper.

Dip your fingers into a bowl of water and run along two opposite edges of a wrapper or along all four edges.

Take one corner and fold it over to the opposite corner forming a triangle.

Carefully press the wet edges together to form a seal.

Place the triangular ravioli onto a rack to dry a bit and repeat the process with the other seven wrappers.

If you put too much filling in a wrapper, it will ooze out the edge.

Just make sure you press firmly on that edge to force the filling out all the way.

You want the wrapper edges touching each other so they will form a seal.

If you have a ravioli press, as sold at Chinese supply stores, follow the directions given with the press.

After filling eight raviolis, turn them over on the drying rack and repeat the process with eight more.

At this point, your water should be at a rolling boil and you can carefully add the raviolis.

First stir the water in a circular motion with a slotted spoon.

Place one ravioli on the spoon and carefully lower it into the water.

Continue stirring until the ravioli starts to float. Add another ravioli.

Don't add so many raviolis that they crowd each other in the pan.

They should not touch each other while cooking or they might cook together.

The raviolis are cooked when they float easily and are somewhat transparent.

The eggplant mixture will spread in the wrapper a bit but should not seep out if they were sealed well.

As they reach the floating stage, carefully lift the raviolis out of the water with the slotted spoon and move them back to the drying rack.

When the raviolis are dry again use a toothpick to connect the two opposite corners and place on a tray of lettuce or ornamental cabbage to serve.

If you are not concerned with fat, you can lightly coat a plate with sesame or hot pepper oil and place the raviolis directly on the oil.

They can be kept on a hot pad this way.

Otherwise eat them immediately.