Ravioli - Fun to Make, Fun to Eat!
I love Ravioli, especially when I make it myself. Sure, a can of ravioli brings back memories of childhood, and it really can be tasty if you get the right brand, but when you make your own you can control the flavors, the texture, the size and the sauce, and really make it your own!
Like all stuffed pastas, Ravioli is extremely filling. It is just one member of the family of stuffed pastas, which also includes Canneloni, Tortellini and Pasta Rolls. Of all of these, Ravioli is the easiest to make; in fact, this past weekend I had an assembly line of kids making them! (No, I do not run a pasta sweat shop; although the thought has crossed my mind…)
All ravioli is made in three steps: the filling, the pasta, and the assembly. After that, there is just the sauce and the boiling, but everything else can be done ahead of time.
If you have never made fresh pasta before, you can read about how to make it on my post here. When making the pasta, make sure to roll it out a bit thicker than you would for spaghetti or fettucini, as the pasta needs to be strong enough to hold the filling. When you roll it out using a pasta machine, you will get a strip of pasta about 6 inches wide; this will allow you to make two rows of ravioli squares, using one strip on the bottom and the other on top, trapping the filling in between them.
When it comes to fillings, there are three basic types: cooked meat, raw meat, and cheese. All of these can and should contain vegetables and herbs and other flavors, but it is the meat or cheese that will give you the texture that a good ravioli filling should have. When deciding whether to cook the meat in the filling or not, you have to think safety first: will the meat completely cook by the time the pasta is done? If not, you risk food poisoning. On the other hand, cooked meat is not as tender as raw meat is, and will not produce as nice a texture unless you let it simmer for a good, long time. Larger pasta squares with more filling will take longer, of course, so it is with these that it is most important to stick with cooked meats.
I submit, for your approval, four fillings to try at home:
1. Cooked Meat and Veggie Filling
Chop up some meat (veal, ham, beef, pork, lamb; any of these or any combination will do) and some onion. Sautee the onions until they are soft. Add the meat, and cook until the meat is browned. Add some thyme, a bay leaf or two, and a glass of red wine and an equal amount of beef or chicken stock. Simmer this for at least 90 minutes, making sure the meat has become tender.
Boil some spinach for about 2 to 3 minutes, and drain it. Chop it up finely, and add to the meat, and remove the bay leaf. Mash the whole mixture with a fork, and add an egg yolk or two, and mix it some more. Add salt and pepper if desired.
2. Cheese and Spinach Filling
Boil some spinach for two or three minutes, drain and chop finely. Mix in some ricotta cheese, an egg or two and grated parmesan cheese. Add some marjoram (best herb with spinach!), salt and pepper. In place of the marjoram, you can use allspice for a slightly different flavor. Mix together thoroughly.
3. Meat Paste
This can be made using a mortar and pestle (stone bowl and pounder) or a food processor. Use nicely trimmed meat, preferably something really tasty like lamb. Chop the meat into small pieces, and either pound or grind it along with some garlic, salt, pepper, and some herbs like parsley, mint and oregano. Pound or grind until you have a nice consistent paste. Remember that you can only use this in smaller ravioli, as you do NOT want uncooked meat.
4. Sausage Filling
The beauty of using sausage meat is that you get the best of both worlds: cooked meat and soft texture. The downside is the presence of fat, and a slightly less bold flavor. However, you can always get a really spicy sausage like Chorizo or Andouille to liven it up a bit! Start by skinning and chopping the sausage, and add some onion, garlic, salt and herbs (I like to use garlic sausage and basil) and an egg or two. Run this throught the food processor until the proper pasty texture is achieved.
Assembling the Ravioli
Lay a strip of pasta down on a floured surface. Imagine that the strip is actually two rows of squares; in fact, if it helps you, you can always use a butter knife to score some lines to make the squares easier to see. In the middle of each square place a teaspoon or so of filling. Once the sheet of pasta has been covered with filling drops, brush water around the outside edge of the pasta, and between all the fillings on the edges of the squares. Lay the second sheet of pasta on top of the first. Use the side of your hand to press the top sheet down around each mound of filling, and try to remove any air pockets. Using a pizza cutter, fluted pastry wheel, or simply a knife, cut the squares apart.
Some Tips and Tricks
1. As you finish each batch of squares, dust them with flour to prevent sticking together.
2. Place the squares on paper towels or floured cloth so they don’t tear.
3. When making the squares, make sure there is at least a quarter inch of margin all the way around to make sure they don’t leak.
Sauces
I prefer a basic tomato sauce, nothing with meat in it, especially if the filling already has meat, since the meal is already so filling. Alfredo sauce is a bit heavy, too, but a nice white sauce can be turned into a nice cheese sauce or a bechamel for something creamier.
There is no doubt that making pasta is something that is perfected over time. Your first batch or two of ravioli will probably have about 50% of the squares looking anything like what you expect; if you get more, then you did better than I did! But like anything else you will get better with practice, and eventually all the little mistakes will go away. I think of ravioli as little presents wrapped in pasta. It is fun to make three or four types in the same batch, especially when you make them for kids, as there is a surprise in every bite for them. I usually have to step in to prevent “trades” from taking place, though!
At any rate, if you decide to give this a try, I think you will find it worthwhile!
Yours in Good Taste,
Erik Christensen