Turkey & Cranberry Ravioli... a.k.a. Pilgrim Potstickers

I have to admit I was a tad bit nervous about the recipe.  I have learned over the years that if something doesn't sound right, it usually isn't (EX. strawberry risotto... even if an Italian chef made it in Florence), but I was willing to take a chance because it had amazing reviews on Food Network.  I changed it up a little after my coworker, Frances, and I had a conversation about how turkey sausage might have more flavor than just regular ground turkey.    I decided to use half ground turkey and half sweet italian turkey sausage.  I think this was a good move because there was a smoky sage flavor that I believe came from the sausage.  If you are looking to buy as few ingredients as possible, you could try the original recipe, but I can't make any promises.  Needless to say, I am pretty sure it wouldn't matter what you put in the middle of these little wrappers because once you taste the cream sauce on top, you will be in heaven.  There was definitely some preparation involved in this one so I decided to make them a couple of days in advance and freeze them.  I suggest doing this so that you don't get bogged down trying to put ravioli together before guests arrive.  
Once again (I seem to be giving this disclaimer more and more.. sorry), I did not share this for the fantastic final picture.  If you are going for visual appeal, this might not be your dish.  It looks a little bit like a blob on your plate, but they sure are delicious!  Oh yeah,  and my brother came up with the idea of calling them Pilgrim Potstickers, which I thought was pretty darn perfect. 
From my Little Kitchen to yours... Enjoy.

Toasting fresh bread crumbs... I put them in a mini food processor after I toasted the bread with olive oil and removed the edges.

Removing the casings of the turkey sausage.  Not pretty, but wanted to show in case you have never done this before.

Turkey & Cranberry Ravioli
Adapted from Giada De Laurentis
Ingredients
1/2 pound ground turkey, preferably dark meat
1/2 pound Italian turkey sausage, removed from casings
8 tablespoons cranberry sauce (I used the whole berry kind over the jellied kind)
8 tablespoons grated romano cheese
4 tablespoons toasted bread crumbs
4 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves
4 eggs
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
80 store-bought wonton wrappers (2 packages)
for the cream sauce:
12 tablespoons butter
4 shallots, chopped
4 tablespoons all-pupose flour
2 cups chicken broth
8 tablespoons heavy cream
4 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Step by Step
Make the ravioli:
In a medium bowl, stir together turkey, turkey sausage, cranberry sauce, cheese, bread crumbs, parsley, eggs, salt and pepper.  Place 10 wonton wrappers at a time on a work surface.  Brush each wrapper with water using a pastry brush.  Spoon 1 tablespoon of the turkey mixture on each of the wonton wrappers.  Top with another wonton wrapper and seal each ravioli.  Make sure to press out any air bubbles to tightly seal. Repeat 3 additional times until all turkey mixture has been used. 
To freeze for later:
Line a deep dish with wax paper.  Place ravioli in a single layer on top of wax paper.  Continue to alternate wax paper with single layers of ravioli.  Cover tightly and freeze for up to one month.  When ready to cook, take out of the freezer and cook for an extra 3 to 4 minutes, until turkey mixture is cooked thoroughly.  
Make the gravy:
In a medium, heavy skillet, heat the butter over medium heat.  Add the shallots and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.  Add the flour and stir until cooked, about 1 minute.  Slowly add the chicken broth, stirring quickly to avoid lumps.  Add the cream, parsley,  salt and pepper and cook, without boiling, for two minutes.  Make sure to stir often to avoid lumps and keep the sauce from burning.
To cook the ravioli:
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat.  Add the ravioli and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, making sure that the turkey is cooked, about 3 to 4 minutes.  Drain the ravioli and stir into the sauce to coat.  Serve immediately on individual plates with the remaining sauce drizzled on top. 


Serves 8
 (5 ravioli per person)