Roger tops his ravioli with apple cider glaze and serves them alongside carrot and fennel salad with white wine dressing. Yum!

By Roger Mooking

Wonton wrappers can be square or circular, vary in thickness and be filled with almost anything—sweet or savoury. But remember: The thickness of the wrapper will affect how much you can stuff in them and how long you have to cook them. Do a test run to get your times right or just taste as you go. An egg wash helps the wonton wrapper stick together so that the filling doesn't pop out. The trick is to press out the air before you fully seal the wrapper.

Drizzle the apple cider glaze over the ravioli to add a bit of taste and, of course, a sauce. All pasta needs a good sauce. Alternatively, toss the pasta with some olive oil and chives—easy.

Italian food makes good use of fennel, and I wanted to tie that flavour back in to the meal, hence the carrot and fennel salad. Warming the dressing gives the flavours impact. Soak the raisins overnight in white wine and they'll plump up and be full of the flavour of the wine.

Makes 30 wontons

4 cups (1 L) non-alcoholic apple cider
1 1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) freshly ground black pepper
1/2 lb. (250 g) ground turkey
1/2 lb. (250 g) ground pork
1/2 cup (125 mL) Asiago cheese, finely grated
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
2 tbsp (30 mL) roughly chopped fresh sage
1 tsp (5 mL) freshly ground pepper
16-oz. (454-g) package round wonton wrappers (about 60 wrappers)
1 egg, whisked for egg wash
1/4 cup (60 mL) chives, finely chopped
salt

1. Place apple cider in a large sauté pan over high heat. Once it has reduced by half and has achieved a thick syrup consistency, add the black pepper, stir and set aside. Keep on the lowest temperature, covered, to keep warm.
2. In a tall, rimmed sauté pan, bring heavily salted water to a boil. Reduce the heat slightly to a gentle boil.
3. Meanwhile, place turkey, pork, Asiago cheese, garlic, shallot, sage and pepper in a bowl and mix well to incorporate.
4. To assemble ravioli, place a wonton wrapper on a clean, dry work surface and brush entire wrapper with egg wash. Keep remaining wonton wrappers covered while you work to prevent them from drying out. Place 1 tbsp (15 mL) of meat mixture in the centre of wonton wrapper.
5. To cover, gently stretch another wonton overtop, connecting edges of wrappers and pressing to secure. Gently lift ravioli, cupping your hands over the filling to release any air inside, then pinch around rim to secure wonton and place it on a dry tray. Repeat with remaining wontons.
6. To cook, gently place five wontons in boiling water, stirring frequently, until meat is cooked and no longer pink, approximately 3 to 5 minutes.
7. To serve, place wonton ravioli in a large bowl, drizzle with apple cider glaze until all wontons are coated evenly, place on a serving dish and garnish with chopped chives.

Carrot and Fennel Salad with White Wine Dressing

1/2 cup (125 mL) sultana raisins
1 cup (250 mL) dry white wine
2 tbsp (30 mL) honey
2 carrots, peeled and cut into ribbons with peeler
1/2 fennel, thinly sliced
1 1/2 tbsp (22.5 mL) capers, drained
1 1/4 cups (310 mL) fresh parsley, roughly chopped
1/2 cup (125 mL) sliced almonds, toasted

1. Place raisins in a bowl and soak them in white wine for 1 hour or overnight. Drain and reserve white wine.
2. Place reserved white wine in a small pot, add honey and cook over medium-high heat until liquid reduces to 1⁄3 cup (80 mL), approximately 5 minutes.
3. Place carrots, fennel, capers and soaked raisins in a large bowl.
4. Pour white wine dressing over carrot and fennel salad, add chopped parsley and toasted almonds, toss and serve.