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To make the filling:
Cut the mushrooms into quarters and cook in a non-stick skillet on medium heat until browned (approximately 5-7 minutes). Remove the mushrooms from the heat and let cool completely. Place the mushrooms in a food processor and pulse until the mushrooms are finely chopped. Trim the fat off the prosciutto. Add the prosciutto and spinach to the food processor and pulse again until the mixture is well combined. In a small bowl, mix together the filling from the food processor, ricotta cheese, and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Cover the filling mixture with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours or overnight.
To make the tortellini: Cut the wonton wrappers into 3 inch squares. Lay out the wonton wrappers on a large cutting board. Fill each wonton wrapper with 1 teaspoon of the spinach ricotta filling.
Brush the edges of the wonton wrappers with with water. Fold the wonton wrappers in half over the filling to form a triangle. Press down the edges to ensure they are sealed all the way around. Fold the tortellini again by bringing the two triangle points together to form a little “hat”.
To make the soup: In a large pot add the canned beef broth, water and bouillon cube. Bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and add the tortellini to the broth. Place 8 ravioli in a soup bowl with one ladle of broth. Repeat for the other bowls. Serve.
To make the tortellini: Cut the wonton wrappers into 3 inch squares. Lay out the wonton wrappers on a large cutting board. Fill each wonton wrapper with 1 teaspoon of the spinach ricotta filling.
Brush the edges of the wonton wrappers with with water. Fold the wonton wrappers in half over the filling to form a triangle. Press down the edges to ensure they are sealed all the way around. Fold the tortellini again by bringing the two triangle points together to form a little “hat”.
To make the soup: In a large pot add the canned beef broth, water and bouillon cube. Bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and add the tortellini to the broth. Place 8 ravioli in a soup bowl with one ladle of broth. Repeat for the other bowls. Serve.
Barbara's Tips
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In this recipe, fat free ricotta works well since it has less moisture than whole milk ricotta and therefore yields a firmer filling without having to add additional ingredients like bread crumbs. You really can’t tell the difference in texture but fat free ricotta has ½ the calories of whole milk ricotta.
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Placing the filling mixture in the refrigerator allows it to set. It makes the filling firm and easier to work with.
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Wonton wrappers are a good alternative to making homemade pasta which can be labor intensive. In fact, wonton wrappers are made from the same ingredients as pasta (flour, eggs, water, …) but they are rolled out much thinner so they have less calories than homemade pasta. You can find wonton wrappers at any Asian market or in your grocery store in the refrigerated section next to the tofu. Look for wonton wrappers that have 15 calories per sheet or less as some of them can be up to 30 calories per sheet which would change the calorie count of this dish quite substantially.
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The tortellini are very delicate so they don’t need much cooking time. Placing them in the hot broth for a couple of minutes (the time it takes to serve them up) is sufficient to cook them through but still preserve their texture.
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Essential Flavors
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Prosciutto: is an Italian salt cured ham. It is different than regular ham because it is uncooked. Prosciutto adds a bite of saltiness to the filling.
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Mushrooms: are part of the fungi family. They come in a variety of shapes and textures. Mushrooms are popular in many cuisines because of their versatility and meat-like heft and texture. They add earthiness and meatiness to the filling.
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Spinach: is a dark green leafy vegetable with a slightly bitter taste. It adds a nice flavor punch to the filling.
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