FRIED RAVIOLI POPS WITH PESTO DIP

Fried Ravioli Pops with Pesto Dip image

This recipe is sponsored by Target. For this kid-friendly meal, store-bought cheese ravioli are coated in egg and breadcrumbs, then fried until golden and sprinkled with Parmesan. Insert a lollipop stick into each ravioli, stir homemade pesto into Greek yogurt for dunking and dinner is served!

Provided by Kelly Senyei

Categories main-dish

Time 30m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 13

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Ingredients

1 1/2 tablespoons pine nuts
2 cups fresh basil leaves, rinsed and dried
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan
2 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
2/3 cup Italian-style seasoned dried breadcrumbs
16 refrigerated cheese ravioli
Vegetable oil, for frying
Grated Parmesan, for serving

Steps:

For the pesto dip: Toast the pine nuts in a small skillet over low heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 5 minutes.
Combine the toasted pine nuts, basil, Parmesan and garlic in a food processor. Pulse until roughly chopped. With the motor running, pour the olive oil through the feed tube and process until smooth. If needed, scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula and continue processing.
Transfer the pesto to a small bowl and stir in the yogurt, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cover and refrigerate if not serving immediately.
For the ravioli: Place the flour in a shallow bowl. Whisk together the eggs in a second shallow bowl. Place the breadcrumbs in a third shallow bowl.
Dredge a ravioli in the flour, shake off any excess, then dip it in the eggs. Let any excess egg drip back into the bowl, then immediately coat the ravioli in the breadcrumbs, pressing to adhere them to all sides. Repeat with the remaining ravioli.
Pour 2 inches of vegetable oil into a large heavy-bottomed pot and set over medium-low heat. Attach a deep-fry thermometer to the side of the pot and heat until the oil reaches 360 degrees F. Line a plate with paper towels.
Fry the ravioli in batches, turning them as needed, until golden brown and crispy, 1 to 2 minutes total. Transfer to the paper towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon. Return the oil to 360 degrees F between each batch.
Once the ravioli have cooled slightly, insert a lollipop stick into each ravioli. Sprinkle them with Parmesan. Serve the ravioli pops with the pesto dip.