Desert Raviolis
1 pkg. frozen Phyllo dough (you
will only use half)
Pam butter flavor cooking spray
1 6 oz package dried peaches
1/4 cup Amaretto di Saronno
1/2 cube cream cheese: Mascarpone is the best
1/2 cup walnuts
6 oz white chocolate, melted
1TSP cinnamon
Layer the thawed out Phyllo dough in 6 layers, spraying Pam cooking spray
on each as you go, so that it does not dry out. You can brush on melted
butter
if you wish, but I never have luck doing it that way. If you like, you can
also
sprinkle a little cinnamon and sugar between each layer or just a couple of
them. Cover the Phyllo with a damp towel and set aside while you make the
filling.
Soak the dried peaches in Amaretto for about 15 minutes. Reserve the
Amaretto
for another use. It is great in coffee. Drain the peaches and put them in
a blender
or food processor with the cream cheese, walnuts, white chocolate and cinnamon.
Mix until it is a pasty consistency. You can really use any kind of nuts
you want.
Cut the Phyllo into 3 inch squares and put a scant TSP. of the peach mixture in
each and folding from each side form the Phyllo into squares (it won't
look
perfect). Bake squares in a 350F oven for about 10 minutes or until
golden.
Deep Fried Strawberries with
Custard Sauce
For the Sauce:
Custard sauce can easily be purchased in most
grocery stores, you can skip this part and buy
some sauce.
4 cups half and half
1/2 cup sugar
2 inch piece vanilla bean or 1 tsp. vanilla
5 egg yolks (save the whites)
For the Strawberries:
36 strawberries
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. sugar
1 1/2 cups beer (light in color like Bud)
5 egg whites
cream of tartar
Oil for deep frying
powdered sugar
To make the sauce:
In a small saucepan scald 4 cups half and half with 1/2 cup sugar and the
vanilla. Discard the
vanilla bean after the cream is scalded. In a bowl beat 5 large egg yolks
until they are light and add
the scalded cream to the yolks, in a stream, beating continually. Transfer
the custard to a heavy
saucepan and cook it over low heat, stirring until it coats the back of a spoon.
Put the sauce in a
chilled bowl covered with buttered wax paper, for at least 2 hours.
(Can be made the day before.)
To make the strawberries:
Wash, dry and hull the strawberries thoroughly. Heat oil in a deep fryer to 375
degrees (I like to use my electric skillet for this).
In a large bowl, combine 2 cups flour and 1/4 tsp.
of sugar and salt, add 1 1/2 cup beer in a stream and beat the mixture until it
is smooth. In another
bowl beat the 5 egg whites with a pinch of cream of tartar until they are stiff.
Then fold the egg whites into the beer batter gently, but thoroughly. Dip
the strawberries into the batter and fry them
a few at a time, for one to two minutes or until golden brown. Drain them
on a plate lined with some
paper towels. Roll the strawberries in powdered sugar and serve on top of
the custard sauce.
To assemble:
For each serving, put about 1/4 cup of custard sauce on each plate, put 2-4
raviolis on the
plate. Surround with hot deep fried strawberries
(just divide them evenly between the
guests) Cover all with a sprinkling of powdered sugar.
