Rosemary Cashew Cheese Ravioli with Cinnamon Apple Pear Sauce

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~ raw, vegan, gluten-free ~

A pillow of cheese.  That is exactly what these little gems remind me of.  A great “pasta” dish always gets compared to one made by an Italian grandmother… none of my grandmothers were Italian, so my fine Italian dining took place out of a can of Chef Boyardee’.  And look at me now, I still turned out ok. (twitches violently to the left)

You know those mental lists that we have in our head, that go something like this: I need to get some form of exercise every day… I must add more fiber to my diet and seriously, Amie Sue; you must drink more water! We all have those lists, but now I need to add one more item… you should add “make raw ravioli from scratch” to your list! It’s a raw culinary life changer. I wouldn’t steer you wrong.

If you find yourself digging the experience, you will have sleepless nights just like me, dreaming up creative fillings that you can shove into your ravioli pillowcase.

In my mind, I had the filling for this ravioli all worked out.  I love fresh rosemary, especially since it seems to be growing at the rate of possibly becoming an invasive species in our yard.  Then for about 30 minutes, I got lost in thought as to what to pair with my rosemary enchanted cashew cheese spread.

Apples and pears came to mind as my brain scanned through all the ways that I have seen cheese platters presented.  Fruit and cheese are classic for a reason… It’s an absolutely delicious combination… bringing home the sweet and savory flavors that make your taste buds dance the taste bud tango!

 

As you scroll through all these photos, you will spot some variations in how to shape the “pillows.” You can make triangle shapes, rounded ones, square ones, and if pressed for time, you can just make one large one and just cut it into bite-sized pieces. No matter how you shape them, they are delicious.

So there you have it, a wonderful culinary melody of cheese, rosemary, apple, and pear.  I truly hope that you embrace this recipe, make it a keeper.  Blessings, amie sue

Ingredients:

Coconut Wraps:

• 2 cups young Thai coconut meat
• 1 1/2 cups coconut water
• 1/4 tsp Himalayan pink salt
• OR use store-bought raw coconut wraps (here)

Cashew cheese:

• 1 cup cashews, soaked 2+ hours
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp raw coconut vinegar
• 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp Himalayan pink salt
• 2-4 Tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped

Apple Pear Sauce:

• 1 organic apple
• 1 organic ripe pear
• 2 Tbsp melted coconut oil
• 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp ground Ceylon cinnamon
• Pinch Himalayan pink salt

Preparation:

Coconut wraps:

1. You can purchase raw coconut wraps (here) if you are short on time or resources.
2. To make homemade wraps:
   • Place the coconut meat, water, and salt in the blender.
   • Blend until creamy smooth; you don’t want it lumpy or gritty.
3. Pour the batter onto the non-stick sheet that comes with the dehydrator.
   • Spread it evenly across the sheet into one large square.
   • You will cut it into quarters after it has dried.
4. Dry at 115 degrees (F) for roughly 4 hours or until it is dry enough to peel off.
   • Flip over onto the mesh sheet and dry for about 1 hour or until it isn’t tacky to touch.
5. Store in a large zip-lock bag, placing parchment paper in between each piece.

Cashew cheese:

1. In a high-powered blender combine; cashews (soaked, drained, rinsed), nutritional yeast, olive oil, water, oil, vinegar, nutritional yeast,  garlic powder, and salt. Blend until creamy and you don’t detect any grit.
2. Hand chop the rosemary and stir in.
3. Place the cheese in a small bowl and refrigerate while you make the other components.
   • Chilling the cheese will help it set up, making it easier to work with when creating the ravioli.
4. Store any leftovers (if there are any) in the fridge for 3-5 days.

Apple Pear Sauce:

1. Wash, peel, rough chop, core the apple and pear.
2. Place the apple, pear, coconut oil, lemon juice, cinnamon, and salt in the blender.  Blend until creamy smooth.
   • If you own a Vitamix, you will need a tamper to get it started. Blend on high for about 30 seconds; it will thin out and get smoother the more you blend.
3. Store leftovers in the fridge for 3-5 days.

Assembly:

1. Cut the coconut wraps into four squares if using store-bought.
   • If making your own, create 8″ sized squares, then cut into four pieces.
2. With the water faucet running, quickly pass the coconut wrap square under the water on both sides, shake off excess water.
   • This helps to soften the wrap so the edges seal.
   • Do this as you make them, don’t do this all at one time.
3. Place 1 Tbsp of cheese filling in the center of each square.
   • Fold the wrap over the filling, creating a triangle shape, leave 1/4″ free of filling all around the edge of the coconut wrap.
4. Gently keep pressing the two sides together, creating a sealed edge.
   • For a decorative flair, cut the edges with a pinking shear.
   • Tip: if you hold the ravioli up in front of you, the light from the room will show you where the filling is, thus making sure you keep the border around the edges.
5. These can be enjoyed as is or dehydrated to deepen the rich flavors and give it the appearance of being cooked.
   • Place on the mesh sheet that comes with the dehydrator and dry at 145 degrees for 1 hour.
   • If you wish to make ravioli that can stand up on a plate for presentation, gently position them in a mini muff pan (one that will fit in the dehydrator).
6. Serve with the Apple Pear Sauce; either as a dipping sauce, ladled on top, or spread some on a plate and place the ravioli on top. So many ways to enjoy this recipe.
7. Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container.  Lay them in single rows with parchment paper in between, so they don’t stick to one another.

Culinary Explanations:

• Why do I start the dehydrator at 145 degrees (F)?  Click (here) to learn the reason behind this.
• When working with fresh ingredients, it is important to taste test as you build a recipe.  Learn why (here).
• Don’t own a dehydrator? Learn how to use your oven (here). I do however truly believe that it is a worthwhile investment. Click (here) to learn what I use.

In order to make this…

You must do this…

 

Tags: Dairy Free, Dehydrated, Gluten Free, No Dehydration Required, Refined Sugar Free, Vegan