Quick and simple, elegant sauce of blistered sweet grape tomatoes, garlic, basil pesto, and creamy rich mascarpone with a splash of lemon and tangy artichokes. Tossed with delicate crabmeat (or lobster, shrimp, chicken, bacon–your choice!) and stuffed pasta for dinner in minutes.
If you haven’t gathered it yet, I’m a big pasta gal. Big pasta and cheese gal. I hope you enjoy all the saucy, cheesy, veggie-ful and protein-rich ravioli and tortellini and penne and linguine and lasagna as much as I do, because the recipes keep on coming. Most of the time I don’t even plan these things–the chewy goodness seems to find me (like around midnight every other weekday).
Here was one of those nights I quickly threw together ingredients I could count on, with no intention of posting because it was just too easy.
Well, turns out it was magical and deserves space in the limelight.
Because this dish is so simple, it is all about high-quality ingredients and making it your own.
- Pasta: Pictured is a store-bought spinach ricotta ravioli. Feel free to branch out with another fresh stuffed pasta or even homemade gnocchi!
- Pesto: Again, you can shortcut with some great jarred options! (I love Whole Foods’ 365 Basil Pesto and its ingredients.) Or try out a homemade version, especially when basil is in season in the summer.
- Mascarpone: Game. Changer. It’s called “Italian cream cheese,” but I promise it is so much more than a substitute for American cream cheese. The rich flavor and creaminess level is unmatched, and it melts seamlessly into sauces. If none is available though, I’d sub heavy cream.
- Protein: Tender jumbo lump crabmeat (pictured) and sautéed pink shrimp are two of my favorite additions. Won’t argue with chopped chicken or bacon though.
- Grape tomatoes and garlic: Go for plump, deep red, sweet grape tomatoes, typically best in the warmer months. Slicing and searing them off first intensifies their flavor and caramelizes some of the yummy juices. Add garlic in the last couple minutes for the toasty aroma.
- Seasoning, wine, artichokes, lemon: A few flavor boosters to take your creation from “mmmm” to a wide-eyed “WOW.” Add a sprinkle of Italian or Tuscan seasoning with a touch of chili pepper while the tomatoes are cooking to really make them pop; this Pizza Seasoning Blend from Frontier Co-Op (found at Whole Foods) works perfectly. Just a splash of white wine will revive all the charred and caramelized tomato bits from the pan. Jarred artichokes are so easy to incorporate and completely worth it. They add a hint of tang without overwhelming anything. (As you may have noticed I use them a LOT.) Finally, even when you don’t think you need it, a small squeeze of lemon juice at the very end brightens the whole thing up.
Choose whatever seasonal vegetable you like for the side. Pictured are oven-roasted French green beans (roasted with a little olive oil and chopped fresh garlic), finished with coarse sea salt, black pepper, and a drizzle of aged balsamic, and a few drops of lemon.
Ravioli with Creamy Pesto, Crab, and Blistered Tomatoes
Elegant, rich-tasting, bright and flavorful, this magical combination will become a routine favorite that you can throw together in minutes. Sweet charred tomatoes and garlic, cheesy pasta, vibrant pesto and creamy mascarpone with tangy artichokes, a touch of lemon, and succulent fresh seafood.
Notes
**If mascarpone is not available, sub heavy cream.
Ingredients
- 2 servings prepared stuffed pasta (such as spinach ravioli), fresh or frozen
- salt for pasta water
- 4-6 oz cooked jumbo lump crabmeat OR 6-8 oz raw (pink) shrimp*
- 1-2 tsp olive oil
- 12-15 small grape tomatoes, halved
- 1-2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- sprinkle Italian, Tuscan, or pizza seasoning (with black pepper or chili flakes, to taste)
- 2 tsp white wine
- 2 Tbsp prepared basil pesto
- 1 Tbsp mascarpone cheese**
- 2 jarred artichoke hearts, diced
- reserved pasta water
- 1/2 -1 tsp fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Bring a small pot of water to a boil with a generous pinch of salt. Add pasta and cook according to package directions (~4 minutes if thawed, 6 from frozen). When finished cooking, reserve at least 1/2 cup pasta water before draining. Set aside.
- Gently heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-low; swirl to coat. Add sliced grape tomatoes, face-down. Cook about 5 minutes, or until they are beginning to soften and char.
- Add a sprinkle of Italian/Tuscan/pizza seasoning (+/- extra pepper) and chopped garlic. *If using raw seafood such as shrimp, add now and cook about 1-2 minutes per side, just until browned on the surface and opaque throughout. Otherwise, sauté the garlic 1-2 minutes until lightly browned.
- Add wine to deglaze the pan (with a splash of reserved pasta water if needed), scraping up browned bits from the pan. Lower heat. *If using pre-cooked crab, stir in now.
- Gently stir in pesto, mascarpone, and chopped artichokes. Stir in reserved pasta water 1 Tbsp at a time to reach desired consistency. Finish with a splash of lemon juice, to taste. Fold in cooked pasta. Divide between 2 plates and enjoy!
