Kitchen Newsletter
March 3, 2017 – Delicious Ravioli - Three Ways!

Subject: 
Master Moroccan Flavors at Home

RECIPE: Classic Cheese Ravioli
Step 1: The Dough
RECIPE: Three Mushroom Ravioli
Step 2: The Filling
Step 3: Shaping
RECIPE: Beet Ravioli
Step 4: The Sauce
More InspirationINTRO TEXT   It’s no secret – pasta is universally loved! Its versatile character takes on different shapes and sizes all while accommodating a variety of fabulous sauces. Pasta is inexpensive to make, quick to assemble, and surprisingly forgiving. If you have flour, eggs, and a little salt in your kitchen, you are moments away from creating your own fresh pasta.IN THIS ISSUE, we share details for making delicious sauces and your own filled pasta pockets, ravioli! Three unique ravioli recipes showcase the true variety and depth of this pasta favorite. Join us as we explore how to make, shape, fill, and sauce perfect ravioli pillows.ThumbnailsMAIN BODY:Perhaps initially intimidating, making your own homemade ravioli is surprisingly easy! Fresh, Italian-style pasta is made with eggs, flour, and a pinch of salt. With a little applied technique, these simple ingredients form a versatile dough that may be extruded, hand-shaped, or rolled and cut for ravioli. We like to enjoy our pasta fresh, but occasionally we’ll dry it, or freeze some for later.Making ravioli is quite liberating! The filling options and sauce pairings are virtually unlimited. Folklore surrounding the origins of ravioli include stories of sailors from Northern Italy grinding up leftovers and stuffing pasta pockets in order avoid waste. Ravioli traditions have certainly progressed since then! Whether you prefer a classic approach or like to experiment with unique and slightly obscure flavors, ravioli is ready to be your new signature dish to prepare and enjoy.RECIPE: Classic Cheese Ravioli with a Simple Red SauceFOR THE PURIST. Celebrate the classic, fresh Italian flavors of ricotta, nutmeg, basil, and ripe tomatoes with this dish. Every time we make ravioli, we include some of this classic cheese-filled version because it goes with any sauce, but especially this classic, simple, yet flavorful, red sauce. Now raise a glass and promptly add your name to this list of famed Emilia-Romagna chefs. Salute!Homemade Ravioli Guide: STEP 1: The Dough1. Beginning on a generous working surface, sift the flour in a mound in the center of the area. Sprinkle the salt across the top of the mound.2. Make a 4-inch well in the middle of the flour, crack the eggs into the well.3. Using a fork, scramble the eggs without breaking the flour "walls." Gradually incorporate flour from the sides of the well until all the flour is incorporated and a rough ball is formed.4. Dust the surface with flour, and knead the dough for 5-7 minutes. Add additional flour periodically to keep the dough from getting too sticky. The dough should be smooth and elastic.5. Let the ball of pasta dough set covered under a bowl, or plastic wrap for 15 minutes to promote relaxation of the glutens. The dough may be left to rest longer, up to 30 minutes. As it rests, it will become increasingly softer and easier to roll into the required thin sheets.Tips for making pasta by handHave the eggs at room  temperature prior to mixing. The dough will be softer and more manageable.Add a little water if the dough is too dry at any point.Use a combination of all-purpose flour and semolina flour. Semolina flour is made from hard durum wheat and boasts a high-gluten content.When making dough, DON’T necessarily use all the flour immediately. The size of the eggs, the humidity, and temperature affect the dough formation. DO go by feel and not an exact measurement. Focus on achieving dough that feels (1) moist, but not sticky, (2) smooth, but not dry.TOOLS for making pasta and ravioli:Marcato Atlas Pasta MachineThe classic tool for rolling paper thin sheets of pasta.Cut fettucine and spaghetti, as well!Fluted Pastry WheelGreat for cutting pastry and pasta doughs alike! Crimps and cuts a lovely wavy edge.Rolling PinA good rolling pin is a kitchen essential! A necessity for ravioli-making.Ravioli StampsRoll sheets of pasta, fill, seal, and then cut out the pasta pillow with these fun shapes.OXO Scraper & ChopperPerfect for cutting pasta dough, pie crusts, and clearing floury work surfaces.Ravioli MakerPop out a dozen ravioli in minutes!RECIPE: Three Mushroom Ravioli with a Marsala Cream SauceRICH AND DECADENT. The velvety Marsala sauce complements the mushroom-filled ravioli to decadent perfection. The combination of porcini, cremini, and shiitake mushrooms in a ricotta base, and spiked with fresh thyme produces a richness that will leave you wishing you’d made a double batch. Cin, Cin!Step 2: The FillingLET’S BE HONEST. Ravioli is all about the filling! We like to pack our fillings with plenty of flavor. Ricotta is present in all of our fillings, but feel free to add other cheeses (even cream cheese) to make the filling extra rich. Other filling variations might include pureed veggies or very finely ground meat. Top Tips for FillingsUse a stiff filling that is not too moist. If the filling is too moist, it will moisten the pasta dough too much, and may cause the pasta to break open during cooking.Add an egg to the filling mixture to aid in setting up the filling as it cooks.Chill the filling well prior to assembling the pasta packets.Step 3: ShapingUSE A PASTA MACHINE to roll out thin, even sheets of pasta. You’ll find sheets prepared this way easily form the ravioli and many other pasta shapes. 1. Divide the pasta dough into two portions with a dough cutter or knife. Dust the working surface, and flatten each portion of the dough into a disc.2. Using a pasta machine or attachment, set the rollers to the widest setting. While cranking, feed the disc of dough into the rollers. Continue cranking evenly until the entire portion has been rolled out. Dust each side of the rolled pasta dough with a small amount of flour. Reduce the width of the rollers to the next narrower setting. Feed the dough through the rollers again. Repeat the narrowing of the rollers and rolling of the dough until the dough is about 1/8” in thickness. Once the dough sheet reaches this paper-thin stage, cut it in half into two sheets.3. Place one of the rolled pieces on top of a ravioli maker ensuring that the dough placement is aligned well. Press the dough lightly into each well of the ravioli maker.4. Place a tablespoon-sized scoop of filling into each pocket. Lightly wet the edges of each ravioli section with a wet fingertip. This will help to seal the pasta layers together in the next step.5. Top the tray with the second sheet of pasta covering the filling. Place the top of the ravioli maker on top. Using a rolling pin, roll over the tray to seal the ravioli.6. Carefully remove the ravioli from tray. With a fluted pastry cutter or ravioli cutter, cut between the pockets of filling forming the individual ravioli.7. Freeze the ravioli in a single layer on a parchment-covered baking sheet for 30 minutes. This will assist in easier handling during cooking. Once frozen, the ravioli may also be packaged in airtight wrapping and stored in the freezer for up to two weeks.RECIPE: Beet Ravioli with Goat Cheese Filling and a Lemon-Butter SauceSAVORY & SWEET. Few pastas are as pretty as those made with deep purple beets. The rich color and earthy-sweet flavor dazzle the senses, offering a bright and delightful twist. The creamy, rich filling of goat cheese and ricotta cheese balances well with the zingy lemon zest and refreshing parsley. Cento di questi giorni!Step 4: The SauceRULE OF THUMB - Keep sauces for ravioli light and simple while still full of flavor. This will allow the delicious fillings to shine through. Buon Appetito! Enjoy your meal!