All Wrapped Up

With the hard part all taken care of, this pre-made dough is the perfect canvas for any flavor combo you can conjure up. Filled, folded, baked and fried, here are a few ways to make the most of these time-saving little wrappers. 1. Sopaipillas To make a mini version of these deep-fried, hollow Mexican pastries, situate the wonton wrapper into a diamond shape in front of you. With moistened fingers, fold 2 sides of the wonton toward one another, then fold the top over to form an upside-down envelope shape with an open flap. Fold the bottom edge over to enclose the wrapper, then dip your finger in egg white and seal the folds. Deep-fry in oil a few seconds, until just browned, then flip and fry the other side. Drain. Drizzle with honey or a mixture of melted piloncillo (Mexican brown sugar), butter and ground cinnamon. 2. Mini grilled cheese On a heated griddle, place 1 tablespoon of shredded cheddar cheese in the center of one wonton wrapper. Top with a second wrapper and press down using a spatula. Grill until the bottom is browned, about 45 seconds, then flip and brown the other side. 3. Ravioli Prepare the filling of your choice, being sure to cook and season any raw ingredients. Lay a single wonton wrapper out on a clean surface. Spoon 1 teaspoon of filling in the middle. Brush the sides with water and top with another wrapper, pressing firmly to seal. Press with a small glass or cookie cutter to cut out a small circle. Place on a plate and repeat until all filling has been used. Boil for 1 minute in salted water. Gently toss with sauce of your choice. 4. Cannoli Melt 3 small blocks of piloncillo (Mexican brown sugar), 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon of butter in a saucepan on low heat. When melted, combine in a bowl with 1 cup of Mexican ricotta. Set aside. Heat oil in a deep-fryer. Wet your fingers, then roll each wonton wrapper into a hollow tube about ¾-inch in diameter. Seal the seam with egg white. Deep-fry each wonton wrapper individually as soon as it’s shaped. Drain. Place ricotta mixture in a pastry tube or small plastic bag with a corner snipped off. Pipe the filling into the wonton wrapper. (If the hollow collapsed during frying, make deconstructed cannoli and pipe filling atop the length of the wrapper.) 5. Baked cinnamon chips Cut wonton wrappers in half diagonally and again to get 4 triangles per wrapper. Place in a bowl, then toss with vegetable oil and sprinkle with desired amount of cinnamon sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, flipping the chips after 5 minutes, until lightly browned and crisp. 6. Banana-Nutella wontons Lay a single wonton wrapper out on a clean surface. Place 1 teaspoon of Nutella in the center of each wrapper. Place 2 very thin banana slices atop the Nutella dollop. Wet your finger, then run it along the edges of the wrapper. Fold the wrapper in half diagonally, forming a triangle and press firmly to seal. Place wontons close together on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Lightly brush tops with 2 tablespoons of melted butter and bake at 350 degrees until crisp. Lightly sprinkle with cinnamon and powdered sugar. 7. Parmesan wonton stars Using a small star cookie cutter, cut shapes out of 12 wonton sheets. Place stars and 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a bag and toss to coat. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan and ½ teaspoon of garlic powder and toss again. Place the stars in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees until crisp. Use as garnish for soups or salads.