making the ravioli and the sauce

Following up on the previous blog, here is what we did after creating the filling.

Using fresh egg pasta sheets, either purchased from our local pasta-maker, or made by hand: we took about a pound of the sheets. We took a circular cutter (like a cookie cutter) about two inches in diameter and cut out a lot of circles. We then put about a teaspoon of filling in the center of each circle. We moistened the edges of the circle (very important) and folded it over in half to make a half-moon shape. Sealed it. Eccola: a mezzaluna.

Very important: while preparing the ravioli, keep the pasta sheets moist. Do not let them get dry. Keep under cover of moist towels. We did not try to use the whole pound of sheets at once. Use one sheet, make the mezzaluna, then go to the next sheet which you have kept moist with the wet towel. And so on.

For the other pound of pasta sheets, we made agnolotti (squares in the Piedmont style). We did not try to mass produce these. Again we took one sheet of pasta at a time. We cut it into rectangles one and one-half inch by three inches. We put a teaspoon of filling in the center of the lower half of this rectangle, moistened the edges well, and then folded the top half over and sealed the edges. Eccola: a one and one-half inch square agnolotti.

for the sauce:

(This is sauce for about twenty-four of the ravioli, not all 100 or so!)

• four tablespoons butter
• one-quarter pound crimini mushrooms, sliced thinly
• two tablespoons chicken stock
• salt and pepper
• one-quarter cup fresh parmesan

In a saute pan over medium heat, heat the butter until it starts to sizzle. Add the mushrooms. add a teaspoon of salt and some freshly ground pepper. Add the chicken stock. Cook until the mushrooms are soft.

When we cook the ravioli in plenty of boiling, salted water, until done: we remove them with a slotted spoon, so as not to damage them, and drop them right into the heated saute pan with the sauce.

Add parmesan and some chopped parsely and serve.

If you want to make your own fresh pasta, one of the best instruction sets can be found at www.classicpasta.com/pasta. Click on how to make your own, etc. It is worth it.

Is this one of the tastiest raviolis you have ever had?

a rich ravioli (or agnolotti)

Continuing our ravioli riff: in our last post we talked about a very simple, cheese only, ravioli. Now to do a 180 degree turn, here's our favorite "rich" ravioli.

Before that, however, an observation. We bought some ready-made ravioli last week at the A. G. Ferrari Foods store on Mission in San Francisco. This was their "agnolotti Piemontese" (more on Piemontese later), and consisted of 48 small raviolis, about one inch square at the most.

The ingredients list on the package said that the ravioli filling consisted of:
"choice beef, onion, potato flakes, parmesan, italian plum tomatoes, pancetta, carrot, celery, egg, red wine, olive oil, sea salt, garlic, porcini mushrooms, canola oil, black pepper, herbs and spices."

That seems to us to cover just about everything possible ingredient-wise! The filling had been well processed, into a paste really. It was tasty, but getting a taste of the ingredients, the overtones, was impossible, even though the overall flavor was fine. While very good, we felt it lacked a little zing.

Here is our "rich" favorite. It also comes from the Piedmont area: hence the identification of the shape as "agnolotti", the Piedmont designation for a meat-filled ravioli. We have adapted this recipe from "Molto Italiano" by the super-chef Mario Batali.

The ingredients, which should make about 100 ravioli,each about one and one-half inch square:

• eight tablespoons of unsalted butter
• one medium onion, finely diced (one cup plus)
• six ounces of boneless chicken breast, finely diced
• four ounces of sweet italian sausage, removed from casing, finely chopped
• two tablespoons ricotta
• one quarter cup of grated Italian Fontina
• three tablespoons of fresh goat cheese
• one quarter cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
• two tablespoons fresh marjoram (or one teaspoon dried)
• one quarter teaspoon nutmeg
• one egg
• salt and pepper

Heat the butter in a saute pan over medium heat. After a minute add the onion and cook for four to five minutes, until soft. Add the chicken and sausage and cook until totally browned, about ten minutes. During this time, stir regularly with a wooden spoon to break up the meat into as small pieces as possible. Remove and let cool.

In a food processor, put in this meat mixture and pulse until it is finely chopped (not quite a paste!)

Put the pulsed meat into a bowl. Add the egg and stir. Add the Fontina, the goat cheese, the ricotta, nutmeg, marjoram, parsley, a teaspoon of salt and some freshly ground pepper, and mix thoroughly. Taste for salt and pepper and set aside ready to fill the ravioli.

Just taste this filling! See if you don't think it might be the "best ever".

In tomorrow's post we will talk about constructing the ravioli themselves, and also a sauce to complement the rich taste. To get more complete details on making and serving ravioli, see: www.classicpasta.com and click on pasta and then ravioli.