Pasta fillings

To make pasta dough you will need the following ingredients:

1lb all purpose flour
The yolks of 10 eggs
31/2 fl oz (100ml) of milk
pinch of salt
Water, enough to make a smooth supple dough.

To make the dough first put the flour and salt onto a smooth surface or in a bowl, beat the egg yolks and incorporate into the flour using your fingers. Add the milk and keep kneading. If you find that all the flour will not hydrate into the dough then add some water. Keep kneading with your hands until you get a smooth pliable and elastic dough, this will take about 10 minutes. You can use the dough immediately but letting it rest will achieve better results as the proteins in the dough can relax. To do this put the dough into a bowl and cover with a teacloth or clingfilm to stop it drying out.

Once the dough has rested we can now start rolling it out. Pull of a ball a bit bigger than a golf ball from the dough and roll out with a rolling pin. As the dough will be sticky put a bit of four on the surface you are using to toll the dough and on the rolling pin. After a few rolls flip the dough over and repeat the process. Use as little flour as you can to stop the dough sticking but always keep it able to slide on the surface. Keep rolling, then flipping the dough until the dough is paper thin. Dont worry about the shape that doesn't matter.

We are now ready to cut our ravioli shapes and I usually use a drinking glass about 3=4 inches diameter. Invert the glass to use the rim as a measure and cut around and make as many circles as you can from you dough. The bits that are left can be re rolled to make some more circles once you have used all the dough.

To fill the ravioli put about a teaspoon of the filling in the centre of each circle and spread a little beaten egg using either your finger or a brush around the edge of each circle and fold over so that you have closed filled semcircles, the beaten egg acting as a glue. Use as much filling as you can allowing for the ravioli's to close securely. Press the edges and crimp them and place on a floured board and repeat the process until all the dough has been used up.

If you are preparing these in advance the ravioli's may be frozen at this stage. Put the tray into the freezer until they are solid and then for ease of storage you can put them into a plastic container.

To cook the ravioli just drop them into boiling salted water and cook for 4 or 5 minutes. Toss in your chosen sauce and serve.

This is a delicious filling for ravioli and simple to make. You will need the following ingredients:-
Just less than 1lb (400gm) ricotta cheese
2 eggs cracked and beaten
¼ lb 100gm grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper.

Incorporate the ricotta, eggs and parmesan and season and use as your filling.

As a variation you could add some minced cooked chicken breast or some air cured ham very finely chopped to the mixture.

Serve the cooked ravioli by pouring over some melted butter mixed with some grated parmesan and perhaps have a side salad with it.

Delicious

Whilst you should be able to achieve good results from rolling out your pasta dough you will achieve much more professional results if you use a pasta machine. The are not expensive once owned you will be able to make not just ravioli but most of your favourite pasta types.
To use a machine first make your dough as previously explained and chill. Flatten the dough into a rectangle using a rolling pin. Ensure that both your work surface and the pasta machine rollers are floured.
Set the rollers of the pasta machine to their widest setting and run the pasta through the rollers. Dust the pasta with flour
Narrow the rollers of the pasta machine by just one notch and run the pasta through again. Dust with flour again.
Keep repeating narrowing the rollers and running the pasta through until you have your desired thickness or you are on the narrowest setting.

Take a strip of pasta from the machine and put a spoonful of mixture on and place another about 3cm (1.5 inch) distance separating them. Repeat this until the strip of pasta is full and put some egg wash around the fillings. Place another strip of pasta on top and push down with your fingers to seal the raviolis. Cut out the individual pieces using a pasta wheel and place each on a floured surface ready for cooking or freezing.

To make this dish you will require the following ingredients:-
1/2 oz (20gms) dried ceps or porcini mushrooms
4 ozs (100gms) finely chopped fresh mushrooms
1 tbdp olive oil
1tbsp fresh parsley
1/4tsp garlic paste or ¼ very finely chopped garlic clove
a touch of salt
black pepper
½ egg yolk beaten

Method

Soak the dried mushrooms in boiling water until soft (about 15 mins)
Drain off and discard the liquid and squeeze to remove any excess and chop finely.

Cook the fresh mushrooms in oil to evaporate the liquid and add the porcini mushrooms, pasley garlic and cook stirring for about 1 minute. Season and remove from the heat.
Combine the mushroom mixture with the ricotta cheese and egg yolk. Cover the filling mixture and keep chilled until required

To make this tasty filling for ravioli you will need the following:-

1lb (45gm) lean ground beef
2 minced garlic cloves
1 onion peeled and finely chopped
1 small carrot peeled and grated
1 small stick of celery finely diced
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4cup grated pecorino cheese
1tsp nutmeg to taste
½ tsp allspice to taste
salt and pepper to taste
1 egg
olive oil

Method

Put the onion, garlic and celery in a saucepan with some oil and sweat until they are soft. Add the beef and turn up the heat and brown and break it up with a fork or wooden spoon. Once the meat is cooked drain off any fat and transfer to a food processor. Add the other ingredients and pulse. Check the seasoning and use as your ravioli filling

This is a quick and easy filling for ravioli and is quite delicious and to make it you will need the following ingredients:-
4oz (100gm) cooked chicken minced or finely diced
8oz (220 gm) cooked spinach drained and chopped. This could be from a tin.
3 tbsp Melted butter
3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
pinch or two of salt taste
pepper to taste
Ground nutmeg to taste

Mix the chicken, spinach and melted butter in a bowl and add the Parmesan cheese, nutmeg, and seasoning and mix.

To fill the ravioli take 1 teaspoonful and place into the centre of the ravioli as already explained in previous modules, close and cook.
When cooked use a sauce of your choice. Just melted butter and Parmesan cheese would be tasty

This is a simple but quite delicious filling for ravioli and makes a pleasant change and could be served with a creamy tomato sauce. To make the filling you will need the following:-

1 can of crabmeat
An equal volume of ricotta cheese
grated parmesan cheese to taste
lemon juice
a pinch of cayenne pepper
1/2-1 tsp Italian herbs

Method

Mix together the ingredients, I would use a food processor but a spoon or fork will do. Just ensure the ingredients are well combined. Spoon into ravioli as previous described in previous modules.

To make the sauce you will need the following:-

4-6 ripe plum tomatoes roasted
1 large shallot or small onion peeled and very finely diced
1 clove garlic finely minced
1tsp dried basil or fresh which would be better
1 pinch of chilli flakes
Heavy cream
1 tbsp Ricotta cheese
1tbs balsamic vinegar

Soften the onion and garlic in oil until soft and translucent. When the roasted tomatoes are cool take of the skins and remove the cores and seeds and put into the onions and garlic and slow whizz in a processor with the herbs balsamic vinegar and chilli flakes until smooth. Then add the cream and ricotta and make a smooth sauce. Serve warm with the cooked ravioli.
It is quite difficult to be precise about amounts as much is down to taste and I would recommend that in making this sauce you keep adding and tasting until you achieve the combination of ingredients and texture that suits your palate

Recipe for fish ravioli and a lemon sauce

This is a ravioli recipe that is a little bit different and makes a very pleasant change., a ravioli with a fish filling. To prepare this dish you will need the following:-

8 0z (225gm) sole fillet (you can use a different white flat fish for this) skin removed and boned
2 tbs breadcrumbs
2 eggs beaten
1 finely chopped spring onion
1 lemon slice
1 onion slice
bay leaf
1tbsp lemon juice
salt and pepper

Wash and dry the fish and place in an oven proof dish with the lemon and onion slices, peppercorns, bay leaf, lemon juice and some water. Cover and cook in a preheated oven at 180degC Gas mark 4 for 20 minutes. Remove the fish from the liquid and allow to drain. Strain and set aside the liquid which you can use to make a lemon sauce to serve with this dish.
After the fish has cooled mash to a pulp, add the eggs, breadcrumbs, spring onion and seasoning and fill your ravioli.

To make a lemon sauce to go with it you will require the following:-

30gm (1oz) butter
30gm (1oz) flour
300ml (1/2pint of the strained cooking liquid
2tbs double cream
2tbsp lemon juice
seasoning.

Melt butter in a saucepan and stir in flour to make a roux. Add the lemon juice and gradually stir in the cooking liquid to make a sauce. Cook for 4-5 minutes stirring to ensure the sauce does not get lumpy. Add cream to the sauce and check seasoning and add if required.
Pour the sauce over the ravioli and serve at once

Spinach is quite a popular filling for ravioli, it has a strong taste, is nutritious and this recipe does go well with a cheese sauce. If you would like to make it you will require the following ingredients:-

225gm (8oz) spinach already cooked. Ensure that it is well drained and moisture squeezed out.
30g (1oz) butter
60gm (2oz) Parmesan cheese grated
A pinch of grated nutmeg
1 egg, cracked and beaten
Seasoning

Ensure the spinach is chopped and heat in a pan and beat in the butter. Add the Parmesan , nutmeg and season t taste. Finally mix with the beaten egg. Spoon the mixture into the ravioli as made in a previous module.

This dish does go well with a cheese sauce and to make that you will need the following:-

30gm (1oz) butter
15gm (1/2oz flour)
300ml (½ pint milk)
1 tsp mustard
2tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Melt the butter in a pan and stir in the flour to make a roux. Add the milk gradually stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Cook the sauce for a few minutes, add half the cheese, the mustard and season with salt and pepper.

Pour the sauce over the ravioli and sprinkle the remaining Parmesan over the top.