I make pasta all the time. I have become very adept at getting the perfect pasta noodle.
Knowing this, I felt it was time to expand my pasta making repertoire.
This recipe was challenging, but not impossible.
For the filling - a used Italian sausage for the meat portion. I processed all the filling ingredients in my Cuisinart for about a minute. Adding a small amount of broth helped it become smooth. It wasn’t completely smooth, but smooth enough to be a nice filling and work through the piping bag.
The pasta did not make a lot. I would recommend doubling the recipe. At the end there was only enough dough to make about twenty ravioli.
The hardest part of the recipe is getting the dough thin enough. It takes a large amount of time to get it thin. They key is being able to see through the dough once it is rolled.
I had to cut the dough in four pieces because I didn’t have enough space to roll the strips thin enough.
I purchased a set of pasta rollers on Amazon for twelve dollars. This was such a great purchase.
The roller not only cuts, but seals the edges of the ravioli perfectly. It saves so much time and effort since you don’t have to do it by hand for each little ravioli.
The drying process worked well, but I would recommend turning the ravioli over halfway through. The tops were dry, but the bottoms were still soft.
The soft side of the dough had a tendency to break during boiling. So I lost a few of the ravioli during cooking.
The ravioli cook in about 5 minutes. So at the end of several hours of prep time, cooking them is a breeze.
The pasta was delicious, with just enough salt. The filling was amazing. The spinach and sausage blend well to make a rich, flavorful filling.
I feel like I accomplished a lot making this recipe - you should try it too!
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RAVIOLI
2/3 Cup All Purpose Flour
1 Egg
1 Tablespoon Water
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Olive Oil
Boiling Salted Water
Filling
1/3 Cup Cooked Pureed Spinach
1 Cup Cooked Ground Pork or Veal
1/4 Cup Lightly Toasted Bread Crumbs
1/2 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
1/2 Teaspoon Dried Basil
1 Clove Garlic, Minced
Salt and Pepper to Taste
2 Teaspoons Finely Chopped Parsley
Stock
Combine all filling ingredients adding just enough stock to form a stiff paste. Place flour on a pastry board, making a well in the center. Drop egg into well. With a fork, scramble the egg, then fold in the flour from the outside. Add water, salt, and oil. Work with your hands, folding the flour over from the outside edges until the dough can be formed into a ball. Let stand, covered, for 1 hour. Divide the dough in half. Roll into two thin oblongs. Score the dough every 2 to 3 inches. Place 2 to 3 teaspoons of filling into the center of each square. Place the unsecured strips of pasta over the scored strips pressing the edges to seal. With a ravioli press cut along the lengthwise edges of the strips to reinforce the closures. Then cut between the strips to separate the ravioli. Place on a rack to dry for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, turning once. Place ravioli, six at a time, into the boiling water. Cook until al dente. Remove from pot and continue cooking remaining ravioli. Serve covered with melted butter and parmesan cheese.
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