Every once in a while you need a show stopper meal, and this one is it! This combines, fresh with fancy and old world classic technique with a modern twist. It’s the essence of fresh cooking! It’s also a very inventive pairing that will wow your guests. Take your meal to the next level with this show stopper and very healthy meal.

Ravioli making has been in my family for many, many generations, and since my family (on my dad’s side) originated from the foothills of Vallata, Italy, suffice it to say that no machine was at hand. What we use are our hands! There is something so relaxing about making fresh, homemade pasta. The taste is also amazing!! Now since, I imagine most of you have bought my book already, (at least I hope!!!) you know that the recipe for homemade pasta/ravioli is in my cookbook. That’s where you’ll find the directions. It will make about 8 large raviolis, and my filling will fill roughly 14-16 large raviolis, so double the dough recipe.

First, let’s talk about the options when it comes to pasta. You may omit the egg entirely, and use flour, salt, water and a little olive oil. Trust me, the result (even using all-purpose flour) is amazingly smooth, and if you properly salt your water as you boil the pasta, amazingly tasty too!!! The dough is very easy to work with provided you let it rest for 20 minutes, covered otherwise, it breaks apart.  Next, you can add one egg (in this case you would adjust your other wet ingredients) OR and I really like it this way too, add just the yolks which makes the pasta extra silky.  Alternatively, you can use 00 flour, very popular in Italy, or even a gluten-free flour. Whatever is best for your family, and whatever you have access too! All great choices!

Some tips:  I find when you work the dough in small batches it makes it so much easier to handle.  I use a traditional rolling pin, a little muscle too, and always have extra flour on hand to ensure the raviolis don’t stick to the board!! Another huge tip is don’t let the water come to a rolling boil. The ravioli are very delicate. Remember to pinch all around the sides of the ravioli and then using a fork press all around the ravioli to be sure it is properly sealed. Sometimes I dip my fingers in water to seal them, then use the fork.

What you will need to make the dough:

• a wooden pastry board or clean work surface
• a large biscuit cutter
• a good quality extra virgin olive oil
• water
• table salt
• egg
• chopper, to divide the dough
• rolling pin
• wire mesh ladle is a must, don’t use a colander the ravioli will break apart.
• a large pot of boiling water – add salt once you add pasta *very important*

 

So prepare your dough according to the directions in my book or buy a store-bought pasta dough. If you make the dough from scratch be sure to let it rest while you will prepare the filling.

What you will need to make the filling. This will make roughly 14-16 large raviolis:

• one bag of frozen organic peas, heated for 1 minute less than required time (do not over cook)
• colander
• a shaving of fresh Pecorino Romano cheese
• 1/4 cup Mascarpone cheese
• black pepper and sea salt
• a dash nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1-2 teaspoons of a good quality extra virgin olive oil
• blender or food processor
• Taste, taste and taste!

You want to obtain a bright green color for the filling, so under cook the peas by one minute, then drain in a colander and rinse with cold water for a minute to preserve and maintain the bright green color.  Once cooled, add them to the blender along with the Mascarpone cheese. Also add in a sprinkle of sea salt, black pepper and nutmeg. Then add in a few shavings of Pecorino Romano cheese (my fave!!), along with the lemon zest and one drizzle of olive oil. This is the hard part, you must taste it! That is hard because becoming a good cook/chef means trusting your palette. Is it too sweet? Is it too salty? If it’s too sweet add more cheese, and too salty add more lemon and a bit more nutmeg. Trust yourself, you got this!! Once you have achieved the best taste possible, and texture, you don’t want it too runny, add this to a piping bag.

Next, you will make the wine reduction sauce. This is over the top delish!!!

What you will need to make the wine reduction sauce:

• 1/4 wine white, chardonnay or savignon blanc *
• 3/4 cup chicken stock (or vegetable broth)
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons white flour
• black pepper and sea salt
• 1 large shallot
• 2 cups of diced mushrooms, no stems
• small nonstick frying pan

*wine is optional and may be omitted 

You can use this sauce on steak, in this case use beef stock in lieu of chicken broth.

Start by adding 3 tablespoons of butter in the pan, let this heat up slightly and start to melt, then add in 3 tablespoons flour. This is how you create a roux which will be the base of your sauce and serves to thicken it! Now, add in a 1/4 cup white wine, you don’t want to overpower the sauce with the wine, then add in 3/4 cup of chicken stock, along with the salt and pepper.  Toss in the diced mushrooms and the shallots. Let it come to a quick boil and then simmer over medium heat. Let the liquid reduce, then put on low heat. The sauce will thicken as it cooks, so be sure to reserve some pasta water!!

Now for the fun part, filling the ravioli.  At this point, you may roll out your dough into a thin sheet (1/16 inch) and make 16 circles using the biscuit cutter. You will want to double this dough recipe from by book to use all of the filling. Pipe out a swirl of pea filling (maybe 2-3 tablespoons) onto one circle and place the other circle (without the filing) on top, and seal the edges with a wet finger all the way around, then press it using the prongs of a fork. Repeat the process until you have 8 raviolis. That is a good start!

In the meantime, boil your water. Now you may load the 8 raviolis a few at a time onto the wire mesh ladle and drop in the boiling water. Be sure to salt it! Cook time is about 4-5 minutes, maybe less, it’s an estimate. Best idea is to test one ravioli alone and see how long it took to cook and start at 4 minutes. You want a little bite to it. the inside should be creamy and melted. Once you determine your cook time which may be less depending how thin you rolled out the dough, load them all in and cook.

Please note: Ravioli dough needs to be thinner than a pasta dough. Hand rolling is fine, but a pasta machine works great too! Experiment both ways.

Then move onto making the second batch of raviolis, and fill and repeat the process……

Now for presentation! I add a swirl of pea puree using a the back of a spoon to each plate, and also add a few fresh peas so people know what’s in it. Then top with a little of the sauce you don’t want to overpower the ravioli with too much sauce, and a shave of Pecorino. Enjoy!