Sweet Cream Cheese Pumpkin Dip With Fried Wontons Food

CREAM CHEESE WONTONS

Steps:

• For the dipping sauce: Mix together the honey, soy sauce, Sriracha, vinegar and sesame oil in a small bowl and set aside.
• For the wontons: In the bowl of a mixer (or you can do it by hand), mix together the cream cheese, Sriracha and green onions until totally combined (scrape the mixer bowl if necessary). In a separate bowl, mix together the egg and 1/2 cup water.
• One at a time, assemble the wontons: Place approximately 1/2 teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture on one corner of a wonton wrapper. Use your finger to "paint" the egg wash all around the edges of the wrapper. Roll the wrapper on a diagonal, starting with the cream cheese corner and stopping when half the wrapper is rolled and the cream cheese mixture is inside. Bring up the 2 ends and use the egg wash to stick them together. Allow the remaining pointed end to naturally tuck backward. (The wontons should resemble tortellini.) As you work, place the assembled wontons under plastic wrap or a light towel to keep them from drying out.
• Heat 2 to 3 inches of vegetable oil in a large saucepan or medium skillet until a deep-fry thermometer inserted in the oil registers just under 350 degrees F. (You don't want the oil too hot or it will burn the wontons! Experiment with a spare sheet of wonton wrappers to check.)
• In batches of 4 or 5 at a time, fry the wontons for 45 seconds to 1 minute, flipping carefully midway through to make sure they brown evenly. Remove them when you think they still could stand to slightly brown a teeny bit more (because they will slightly brown in the seconds after you remove them from the pan!). Drain the wontons on a paper towel. Repeat with the remaining batches.
• It's best to wait 5 to 10 minutes before serving the wontons, as the cream cheese filling can be quite hot. Serve with the dipping sauce.

PUMPKIN WONTON RAVIOLI

Steps:

• Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and heat it for a couple of minutes (don't brown it). Add the pumpkin, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the chili powder. Cook this filling for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, to warm it and cook off some of the excess liquid. Remove from the heat and let it cool slightly while you get the other components ready.
• Toast the pine nuts in a small skillet over medium-low heat, tossing and stirring occasionally, until golden. Remove them to a plate and set aside.
• Next, make browned butter: In the same small skillet, melt the remaining 6 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat; let it cook and bubble up for an additional minute or so, until the foam is golden brown. Watch it carefully and take the pan off the heat as soon as it's ready. Finally, beat the egg with 1 tablespoon cold water. Now you're ready for Operation Ravioli.
• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Lay out a few wonton wrappers at a time and spoon about 2 teaspoons of the pumpkin mixture in the middle of each one. Then, one at a time, dab your finger into the egg wash mixture and "paint" around the pumpkin on the wrapper. Lay a second wonton wrapper on top of each one, match up the edges and press the two wrappers together, gently pressing out any air bubbles as you go. To seal the ravioli, use a knife or square cutter to neatly trim the edges. Set them aside while you work on the rest.
• Drop a few ravioli at a time into the boiling water. Boil them for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, then remove with a slotted spoon and place on a platter or serving plates. Spoon a little bit of the browned butter over the ravioli, then sprinkle on the parmesan shavings, sage, toasted pine nuts and a little pepper.

SWEET CREAM CHEESE FRIED WONTONS

Steps:

• Heat oil in a small pot.
• Beat egg.
• Mix cream cheese and 1/2 cup of sugar with egg.
• Spoon mixture into center of wonton wrapper.
• Moisten the edges of the wrapper with water and fold into whatever shape you desire.
• Make sure to seal the edges so the cream cheese mixture doesn't escape during frying.
• Drop into hot oil and brown both sides.
• Serve with your favorite sauce or just eat 'em alone!