I put on my big girl panties and decided to try making some ravioli. I now believe there is a secret place in heaven for people who make beautiful Ravioli. I am will not be getting a seat there.
I used the pasta recipe from last time.
Pasta Dough:
3 cups 00 flour or unbleached all-purpose, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon salt
3 eggs plus 2 yolks
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon
1 tablespoon water
To make pasta dough: Combine the flour and salt; shape into a mound on your work surface and make a well in the center. Add whole eggs, yolks, and 1 tablespoon olive oil to the well and lightly beat with a fork. Gradually draw in the flour from the inside wall of the well in a circular motion. Use 1 hand for mixing and the other to protect the outer wall. Continue to incorporate all the flour until it forms a ball. Knead and fold the dough until elastic and smooth, this should take about 10 minutes. Brush the surface with remaining olive oil and wrap the dough in plastic wrap; let rest for about 30 minutes to allow the gluten to relax. Divide the ball of dough in small sections, cover and reserve the dough you are not immediately using to prevent it from drying out. Form the dough into a rectangle and roll it through the pasta machine, 2 or 3 times, at widest setting. Pull and stretch the sheet of dough with the palm of your hand as it emerges from the rollers. Reduce the setting and crank dough through again, 2 or 3 times. Continue tightening and rolling until the sheet is thin.
I Had a hard time with my pasta for some reason. I finally managed to get some fairly thin sheets.
While it was resting I made a sausage and spinach filling:
1 Lb italian sausage
4 cups spinach
1 diced onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups mozzerella cheese
brown the sausage in small crumbles, aadd the onion, garlic and spinch and sautee until eveything is soft.
I also made my own red sauce, but we won't talk about it.
In the summer I can my own marinara, but I used the last of it on the pappardelle. Tomatoes just have no flavor this time of year and my sauce was awful. I recommend that you buy some ready made until summer gets here. Paul Newman makes a pretty good one.
Yeah......Let's just not talk about it.
It came time to make the Raviolis. First I tried laying out the sheet and putting little mounds of filling, washing with egg wash , put another sheet of pasta on top and cut out with a round cutter. Crimp all the edges so the stuffing stays inside (It didn't)
Then I used a ravioli tray where you put a sheet of pasta on it, lay the filling in the grooves, put another sheet of pasta on top and run a rolling pin over it to seal them. (Not very well) Every method of making the lovely little pillows was a heinous nightmare.
I boiled my less than successful raviolis in boiling water for 5 minutes. half of them fell apart all over the place in the water. The rest I put on a plate with some sauce and good cheese, wiped the tears off my face, and presented Mike with a plate.
Lets just say this was not his favorite meal.
I layered up the rest of the ravioli, (and pieces of them) some mozzerella cheese and what was left of the sauce and baked it like a lasagne. As my friend said."good save". At least I did not waste all that good cheese!
I do not think I will try Ravioli any time soon. I have to finish licking my wounds.
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