Sorrentinos are are round raviolis, filled with ham, mozzarella cheese and ricotta. They're not from Sorrento - they were invented in the resort town of Mar de Plata. In Argentina you can buy a special type of deep ravioli mold called a "sorrentinero" that is used to make the exact sombrero-like shape of these pastas
If you make these from scratch, you can fill them with ham, mozzarella, and ricotta, and serve them with any sauce. Or buy widely available ricotta-filled raviolis, and serve them with this creamy ham and mozzarella cheese sauce on top - a sort of "inside-out" version of this classic Argentinian dish.Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: Serves 4.
Ingredients:
- 1 package frozen large round ravioli pasta, filled with ricotta cheese
- 4 tablespoons butter, divided
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup cream
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
- 5 ounces smoked deli ham, diced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Red pepper flakes for garnish
Preparation:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a saucepan, then whisk in 2 tablespoons flour. Cook, stirring, until mixture is just bubbly.
- Whisk in milk and cream, and continue to cook over medium heat until sauce just comes to a boil and thickens.
- Stir Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses into sauce and remove from heat. Stir until cheese are well melted.
- In a small skillet, melt remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Sauté the diced ham until it browns slightly and beoomes a little crispy. Add most of the ham to the sauce, setting a couple of tablespoons of ham aside for a garnish. Keep sauce warm over very low heat while pasta cooks.
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well and serve warm, topped with the ham and cheese sauce. Garnish each serving with some of the cooked ham and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.
