Southwest ravioli? What would Chef Boyardee say?

With his thick brogue and his innate ability to sniff out a single malt whiskey at 30 paces, my great-uncle Ron was a true Scot.

But his favorite meal was ravioli.

When he would come to town for the weekend, my brother and I would hop in the car and head to Danillo’s Deli for a quart of their finest. There was nothing fancy about it – just basic meat and spinach filling with a zesty ragu sauce and freshly grated Parmesan lavished on top. It was tasty because the ingredients and preparation were first-rate, and that’s what kept us coming back.

Nowadays, innovative chefs are sticking anything from chilies to pumpkin puree between two sheets of pasta and calling it ravioli. Some of it’s pretty strange fare, but some of it’s darn good.

The thing is, you don’t have to be at the mercy of someone else’s whims to enjoy this Italian specialty. Not when it’s so simple to make your own. You don’t even have to worry about fixing or locating fresh sheets of pasta, because you can use Asian won-ton wrappers, which these days, can be found in any well-stocked supermarket produce section.

In fact, the idea of uniting two or more cuisines in one dish can be an extremely successful endeavor. As I discovered last week when I decided to test the limits of the ravioli definition by incorporating both Asian and American Southwest twists. Starting with the ravioli concept – that is, a savory pillow of pasta-wrapped filling – I cooked them as one would pot stickers: Gently fried on the bottom to a golden crunch, then lightly steamed for a tender overall dumpling. And the added bonus? The delicate, well-balanced flavors of the two different fillings were intensified by the crunchy, rich lower crust. No need for rich sauces cloaking the character of these beauties, just simple dipping condiments.

Of course, all of this fuss over designer ravioli would have amused Uncle Ron. Oh, I’m sure he would have been game. But if I had ever presented him with a plate of pork, mushroom and sesame ravioli, he probably would have said, “This is just grand, lass. But tell me now, what’s wrong with Danillo’s?”

To fill raviolis: Don’t fill and seal more than four at a time to keep the egg-wrappers from drying out. Place a heaping teaspoon of the filling in the center of the wrapper, then brush all around the filling (out to the edge) with an egg and flour wash (beat together 1 egg with 1 tablespoon flour). Adjust a second wrapper on top of the filling and press down around the filling with your fingers to remove air pockets as you seal the ravioli (always start pressing nearest the mound, pressing outward). To completely seal the ravioli and trim them at the same time, cut the edges with a ravioli cutter, removing about 1/8-inch of dough around all sides. If you don’t have a ravioli cutter, trim the edges and then press shut with the tines of a fork.

They can be prepared a day ahead, covered with a floured towel and refrigerated, or a month ahead and frozen on a baking sheet. Wrap in plastic when solid. Do not thaw before cooking.

To cook ravioli: If you are going to prepare an entire batch, then it’s best to have two or three frying pans going at once to eliminate washing and drying the pans several times during the process. Heat a thin layer of oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Arrange as many ravioli as you can in the pan without having them overlap. Cook just until the bottoms are a rich golden-brown. Gently pour in about 3 tablespoons of hot water (add the water near the side of the pan), cover the pan, turn down the heat to medium and cook about 2 more minutes. Lift the ravioli from the pan and place on paper toweling to absorb the oil and then store them in a 200 degree oven until all of the remaining raviolis are cooked.

1/2pound ground pork

1/2pound fresh mushrooms, finely minced (see note)

2teaspoons sesame oil

1 1/2cups finely shredded cabbage

1cup minced green onion

1tablespoon minced cilantro

2teaspoons grated fresh ginger

1large clove minced garlic

1tablespoon soy sauce

Brown the pork in a skillet over medium high heat, breaking up the meat into very small pieces as it cooks. Drain fat, then add the mushrooms and saute until they release their liquid, continuing to cook until the liquid evaporates. Add the sesame oil, cabbage, onions, cilantro, ginger and garlic, and continue to cook until the vegetables are soft and heated through, about 3 minutes. Add the soy sauce, cook another minute or so, then remove from heat and cool completely before using as a ravioli filling.

Makes 2 cups, enough for 48 1 1/2-inch square raviolis (enough for 6 to 8 entree servings). Fill and cook ravioli as described above. Serve with Chinese hot mustard, hot chili oil, or other favorite soy sauce-based dipping sauce.

Note on mushrooms: The easiest way to finely mince mushrooms is in your food processor, using the “pulse” or “on-off” button. Depending on the size of your processor bowl, you may need to do it in two or more batches.

141/2-ounce can chopped olives

14-ounce can diced green chilies (about 2/3 cup)

1cup finely shredded cheddar cheese

1/4cup minced onion

1/4cup grated Parmesan cheese

1tablespoon minced cilantro

Egg wash (whisk together 1 egg with 1 tablespoon flour)

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl. Chill until ready to use. Makes 2 cups, enough for 48 1 1/2-inch square raviolis (enough for 6 to 8 entree servings). Fill and cook raviolis as described above. Serve with salsa and sour cream.

Jan Roberts-Dominguez is a Corvallis, Ore., food writer, cookbook author and artist. Readers can contract her by e-mail at janrd@proaxis.com .