Herby Ricotta Zucchini Ravioli

I saw this recipe on The Chew the other day. As an aging human, I sometimes feel the need to eat healthier. Which usually lasts for just that meal. This is a bit of a craft project of a meal. While it tasted good, it was a little too vegetable-y to be a pasta substitute. I keep trying vegetable pasta alternatives and it never seems to satiate my pasta appetite. Below is the recipe from The Chew and in [italiciced bold will be my changes or suggestions].

Herby Ricotta Zucchini Ravioli

Ingredients

1/2 tablespoon olive oil (for greasing)
2 cups part-skim ricotta
4 medium zucchini
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons parmesan (divided) [I used a bit more. About 1/2 cup]
1 egg
1/4 cup fresh chives (chopped) [I did not use any chives. Didn’t have them. Brandon doesn’t really like them either]
1/4 cup fresh parsley (finely chopped)
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves (finely chopped) [I only had about 1 tablespoon. I supplemented with 1 tablespoon of an Italian Seasoning]
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 cloves garlic (peeled, finely minced)
1 and 1/2 cups store-bought tomato sauce (Enough to bring to the shoulders of the formed pockets) [I used Brandless tomato basil sauce]
2 tablespoons fresh basil (chiffonade, to garnish) [I just used a handful of small basil leaves]
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste)
cheesecloth

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Lightly grease an 8×12-inch baking dish with olive oil.
Line a medium bowl with a fine mesh sieve and add ricotta. Set aside and allow to sit for 30 minutes. [***The Chew’s directions did not say to line the sieve with the cheesecloth, but that is what you are supposed to do. Do that here]
Using a vegetable peeler, slice the zucchini lengthwise into thin strips, stopping when you reach the center. Discard the center or reserve for another use. Place strips on a paper towel, sprinkle lightly with salt and set aside. [I ended up with about three layers of paper towels and zucchini slices on top of my cutting board]
Gently gather the cheesecloth around the ricotta and squeeze out any excess liquid.
In a medium bowl, add ricotta, 1/3 cup parmesan, egg, chives, parsley, thyme, nutmeg, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and stir until fully combined. Set aside for 8-10 minutes.
Blot any excess moisture off of zucchini strips. On a workspace, overlap 2 strips of zucchini and then overlap 2 additional strips on top of and across the first 2 strips, forming a cross shape. [My zucchini were a little on the small side so I used a few 2, 3, or 4 slices depending on how large they were.]
Using a spoon or a cookie scoop, place a tablespoon of ricotta mixture into the center of the zucchini formation.
Fold the bottom layer of the zucchini strips over the filling and into the center so that they are overlapping. Fold in the other 2 strips to the center so that filling is completely enclosed. Repeat process with remaining filling and zucchini.
In the prepared baking dish, add a 1/2 cup of sauce, spread evenly. Place formed zucchini pockets seam-side down. Pour remaining tomato sauce over zucchini. Transfer to oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until zucchini is al dente.
Garnish with remaining parmesan and basil and serve.
Tip: Prepare the zucchini ravioli the day before cooking and store in an airtight container!