Baked Cheese Ravioli with Broccoli and Spinach

It shouldn’t be news to anybody that reads my blog regularly that I love baked anything with cheese. Sometimes I feel sorry for those on a diet or who are looking for low fat dishes … I often don’t have those! However, if some kind of pasta bake with veggies in it is what you’re looking for, I have the answer.

Ingredients:
1 packet  frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
2 -3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
450g broccoli
salt and pepper to taste
1 package cheese ravioli (or whatever you desire)

Sauce:
1 tablespoon butter or 1 tablespoon margarine
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup vegetable stock
1/4 cup skim milk
1/4 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
salt and black pepper to taste
1 cup grated cheese

Directions:

1. Bring large stockpot of water to a boil.
2. Steam broccoli for about 5 minutes until bright green and slightly tender.
3. As water heats up to a boil, heat a large frying pan over medium heat.
4. Add olive oil and chopped garlic, and saute for about 1 minute.
5. Next, add drained spinach to the pan, along with the steamed broccoli.
6. Toss vegetable well with garlic oil to coat evenly.
7. Sauté for about 5 minutes.
8. Season with salt and pepper, remove from the heat into a bowl, and set aside.
9. For the sauce: In the same pan, melt the butter and whisk in the flour into the butter and cook for about 1-2 minutes.
10. Add stock, raise heat and bring mixture to a boil, whisking the entire time.
11. Slowly whisk in milk and parmesan, and let mixture bubble for about 2 more minutes until thickened.
12. Season sauce with nutmeg (if desired) and salt and pepper.
13. For the pasta: When pasta water is boiling add salt, stir, and add ravioli.
14. Cook according to package directions until slightly underdone.
15. Place a thin layer of the white sauce in an oven proof casserole dish.
16. Drain ravioli.
17. Layer ½ of the ravioli in the baking dish.
18. Next add ½ of the broccoli/spinach mixture Add a couple ladles of the sauce to cover this first layer, a little more than half of it.
19. Add the rest of the vegetable mixture, then the remaining half of the ravioli.
20. Spoon the remaining sauce over the top (a little less than half of it) and top with grated cheese of your choice.
21. Place casserole dish under the broiler or in oven about 8 or so inches from the element.
22. Broil about 5 minutes until cheese melts and is bubbly and starting to brown.