Roasted Vegetable Ravioli

     Growing up in an Italian family, ravioli was always present in my household, and a staple in my diet. Of course when I was a child, I never could have guessed what type of ingredients were used to make these soft little pouches of joy. No, to me, they were just there, and the only worry I ever had about ravioli was "How man of these can I eat before I have to stop?" But as I grew older, curiosity soon took hold of me, and as I made my transition from boy to cook, it didn't take long for me to want to delve deeper into the world of ravioli and learn how to create this savory treat myself. Once I started the Culinary Arts program at my high school in Cranston, pasta dough was one of the very first things we had learned how to make.
     Enter: Adam at age fifteen, circa 2007, inside the culinary Arts lab of Cranston High School West. It is the first week of class, and I am about to burst with excitement. I have been waiting years to work with a real chef and learn what cooking is all about. I watch intently, noting every single movement as Chef Martha Sylvestre shows us all for the first time, how to make fresh pasta dough. Since that day, store bought pasta has never quite tasted the same. It may be a labor of love, but I've never sat down to eat home made pasta and said anything other than "Wow, That was worth all the work."

Pasta Dough

Ingredients:

3 cups all purpose flour

2 eggs

2 tbsp. water

 

Directions

1. create a mound using two cups of flour. Create a well within the mound. Add the eggs and water into the well.

 

2. Beat the eggs with a fork, and slowly grab and incorporate more and more flour with your fork as you are beating. Do this until a dough begins to form and you cannot beat with a fork anymore.

 

3. Using your hands, incorporate some more flour and on a floured surface, begin kneading the dough, incorporating flour as needed, until the dough has a little elasticity. The dough should be moist, yet not wet enough to be sticky.

 

4. Cover your dough-ball in plastic wrap, and allow it to rest for about twenty minutes before using.

 

5. Repeat this process as many times as you need to for the desired amount of pasta. Each ball of dough will feed about two people.

 

If you have a food-processor, you can simply add two cups of flour, the eggs, and the water and use that to incorporate, but I personally like to do it by hand.

 

     The first time you try to make pasta dough, it might not come out right, whether it isn't the right consistency, or just a little over-kneaded, but don't get discouraged. Every time I make this, it becomes a little bit easier and a tastes a little bit better. Once you've made it a few times, it will become second nature.

     After your pasta dough is made, you're well on your way to making home made ravioli. The next step is the filling. Everyone had their own preference of what they like to put in their ravioli filling, whether it be pork, beef, ricotta cheese, or like me, lots of veggies.

 

Roasted Vegetable Ravioli Filling

Ingredients

1/2 zucchini, small dice

1/2 yellow squash, small dice

1/2 carrot, fine dice

3-4 asparagus, thinly sliced

3-4 Oz olive oil

Salt & Pepper, to taste

 

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients and toss to coat evenly with seasonings and oil. If desired, you can add more or less olive oil.

 

2. Spread the vegetable mixture out on a sheet pan, and put into an oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit until the vegetable soften and begin to brown.

 

 

     Alright, now comes the fun part: Forming your ravioli. Once your dough is rested, it can be rolled out. If you have a pasta roller, then you're in luck. If not, you can use a rolling pin. If you are using a pasta roller, a tip that I learned very early on in my pasta-making days is to run the dough through each number of thickness twice because it will more sufficiently stretch your dough and makes it much less likely to rip while rolling. You want to roll your dough into sheets about one and a half to two inches wide, and as long as you desire. You will want to make an even number of dough sheets, because you will need two sheets to make the ravioli.

 

Directions for assembling ravioli

1. On a well floured surface, lay out one sheet of pasta dough.

 

2. Scoop out 2tsp sized portions of your filling onto the sheet, about one and a half inches from each other. Scoop as many as you can fit onto the sheet of dough.

 

3. Using your finger, brush a thin layer of water onto the dough around the filling. This will allow the top layer of dough to combine with the bottom layer in the next step.

 

4. Take a second sheet of pasta dough and lay it on top of the first. Trying not to let too much air in, use your fingers to press down the dough around the portions of filling. Don't squish the dough, but push down firm enough for it to stick well.

 

5. Cut around each portion of filling leaving about 1/4 inch of dough. As you finish the ravioli, lay them out on parchment paper, or on a well floured surface to avoid sticking.

 

 

     Unlike dried store bought pasta, home made pasta only needs to be boiled for a few minutes. Drop your ravioli into boiling water, and do not go anywhere. After just a couple of minutes, they'll start to float, and when they do, you know they're ready to be strained.

 

     Unless if you grew up in an Italian family, and know how to make real tomato sauce, do your self a favor and avoid dousing your hard work with sub-par store bought sauce that will mask all of the delicious subtle flavors of your home made ravioli. I think that the best way to really let the flavors shine is to prepare it as simply as possible. In a sauté pan, heat up some good olive oil, and add some garlic and baby spinach. Once your spinach is wilted, add your ravioli, season lightly with kosher salt and black pepper, and toss to coat them with the oil. Do this in small batches to avoid over crowding your pan, and as each batch is finished, transfer it into a serving bowl. Once all of the ravioli are cooked, I like to cut some grape tomatoes in half, and sprinkle them across the top.

     Like I said, this is a labor of love, and if you don't have the time or desire to make something delicious from scratch, then this isn't for you, but if you can find the time, then you will love this recipe. Let's nosh!