Heart Beet Ravioli
Happy Valentine’s Day! It’s been cold and snowy in Maine for the last few weeks, much like the rest of the country. Personally, I love snow once it’s been shoveled and I can go play, which is exactly what Anthony and I have been doing lately. The Kennebunk Land Trust has miles and miles of trails to explore and they’re only a quick drive from our home in Biddeford.
We’ve been doing more than just hike lately too. Now that we’ve been married for a couple yeras now and together for almost a decade, we’re ready to start a family. For the unintiated, that means a lot of money, time, and patience. We’re interviewing surrogacy agencies, ivf clinics, and lots and lots of attorneys. Who knew it was so much work to make a baby.
In case you forgot, tomorrow is also Valentine’s Day. Anthony and I just happened to buy a new mattress this winter and it is due to arrive today. What timing!
Anthony loathes Valentine’s Day and I am lukewarm on it as well. I love festivity though so I usually send valentine’s cards to family and make something special for dinner. Nothing crazy, just you know, some heart shaped ravioli.
I admit this is not the most photogenic food I’ve ever made but the flavor is there and the shape is unmistakable. Even better, they are relatively simple to make and come together in about an hour so you don’t have to slave over a stove all day. I like to use a cookie cutter to get even, consistent shapes but you do you. If you want, you can cut them freeform with a knife or pastry cutter. I’ve even seen some make rose-shaped ravioli. GO WILD, PEOPLE.
The ravioli is stuffed with a simple herbed ricotta filling with parsley, mint, fennel, and a touch of goat cheese to give the creaminess some tang.
This recipe makes about 3 dozen ravioli so either prepare accordingly, invite some friends over, or freeze them for another day.
Heart Beet Ravioli with Herby Ricotta Filling
Ingredients
For the dough
8 oz beets, scrubbed and trimmed
2 teaspoons olive oil
coarse salt
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
2½ cups flour, plus more for dusting
For the Filling
1 cup parsley (packed)
¼ cup chives
2 garlic cloves
2 cups ricotta cheese
2 oz goat cheese
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375. Toss the beets with olive oil and salt. Wrap tightly in foil and roast until tender, about 45 minutes. When the beets are cool enough to handle, rub the skins off with a paper towel and puree in a food processor.
Add the eggs and egg yolk to the beet mixture and process until evenly combined. Add the flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and process until the dough comes together, about 20 seconds.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, 5 - 10 minutes. This part takes some muscle but don’t give up! Wrap the dough in plastic wrap or parchment and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 12 hours.
While the dough is resting, make the filling. In the food processor, combine the parsley, garlic, and chives. Process until everything is finely minced. Add the goat cheese and ricotta and mix until evenly mixed. Transfer to a piping bag or ziplock bag and chill.
When you’re ready, remove the dough from the refrigerator and cut it into 8 equal pieces. Working with one piece of dough at a time, flatten the dough until it is slightly fatter than your pasta machine’s widest setting. Dust dough lightly with flour and feed through the machine. Continue doing this until you reach a thickness just less than ⅛ inch - this is 4 on my KitchenAid attachment.
Move the pasta sheet to a work surface and spread the filling over the pasta sheet in an even layer about ¼ - ½ inch thick. Place another sheet of pasta on top of the filling and gently press to smooth it all out. Using a cookie cutter, cut the ravioli out in whatever shape you want. Transfer the ravioli to a plate and repeat the process for the remaining dough.
To serve, bring a big pot of salted water to a boil and cook the ravioli until they float. Transfer to a skillet with melted butter and season with salt, pepper, and parmesan cheese.
Pappardelle with Mushrooms, Chilis and Lemon
Everyone knows I’m a sucker for a good pasta dish. There is just something so satisfying about a bowl full of carbs and sauce. I can’t help myself, that is partially why I took up making fresh pasta a few years ago; to feed my addiction. I’ve been busy this winter perfecting a few different shapes and dough recipes and will be teaching another workshop this spring. I can’t wait to share my noodle knowledge with more people!
This dish uses my favorite noodle shape, pappardelle. These thick ribbons of pasta come from the Tuscany region where it is typically served with meaty sauces made from game. I’m not big on game but I do just love a fat wide noodle. They are great for slurping up everything from the meatiest ragu to butter and parmesan. It helps that pappardelle is super easy to make. Simple run it through the pasta roller a few times and cut into 1/2 inch ribbons. If you’re going to make fresh pasta on a weeknight, pappardelle is your friend.
A great mix of mushrooms takes the place of meat in this dish and the chilies and lemon zest to make this bright and filling with a nice kick. It is a great meal that leaves you warm and satisfied. Grate some parm over the top and garnish with parsley and more lemon zest and you’ve got a great dinner worthy of bragging about.
Pappardelle with Mushrooms, Chilies, and Lemon
Ingredients
For the pasta
2 whole eggs
4 egg yolks
2 tablespoons olive oil
hefty pinch of salt
2½ cups flour
For the mushrooms
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 fresno chili, thinly sliced
12 oz mixed mushrooms
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup chicken broth
zest of 1 lemon
Directions
Make the pasta. In a large bowl, stir the eggs, yolks, olive oil and salt until evenly mixed. Add the flour and stir with a rubber spatula until the dough comes together into a sticky ball. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. With floured hands, kneed the dough until a firm, smooth ball is formed. About 8 minutes. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.
Roll the dough. Cut the dough into eighths and toss lightly with flour. Press each wedge flat and roll with a rolling pin, shaping into small discs. Feed the dough discs through the pasta roller. Start at the widest setting and roll until the dough is thin but still sturdy, “5” on most machines.
Cut the noodles. Trim the edges of the dough so you are working with a uniform rectangle. Fold the dough in half twice and cut into 1/2 inch ribbons. Dust the noodles with cornmeal and set aside.
Make the mushrooms. In a large heavy skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and peppers, cook until soft and tender. Toss in the mushrooms and season with salt. Cook until the mushrooms release most of their liquid and cook down about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and butter, stirring until the butter melts. Stir in the broth and reduce to a very low simmer.
Cook the noodles. Bring a pot of salted water to a bowl and add the pasta. Cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water and strain the noodles, rinse with hot water.
Combine it all. In a large bowl, combine the noodles, mushroom mixture, and lemon zest. Garnish with freshly grated parmesan and parsley.
Fresh Pasta Dough
Fresh Pasta Dough
I use this dough recipe for all my pasta dishes. It is versatile, sturdy and comes together easily. Don’t stress too much about the proportions. If the dough seems to wet, add a little flour, if it seems a little dry, add some water. Letting it rest for an hour will allow the dough to really bind well and absorb any excess flour and egg. I use my stand mixer but you can easily make this by hand.
Ingredients
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
4 egg yolks
1 tablespoon olive oil
Directions
In the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment, combine the flour and salt.
Whisk the eggs, egg yolks and olive oil in a separate bowl.
Slowly add the egg mixture with the dough hook on low. Scrape down the sides and continue mixing until a dough ball starts to form.
Once most of the flour is absorbed, dump the whole thing out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until all the flour is absorbed. The dough should be smooth and firm. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for one hour or up to 12.
