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!



Harry's Bar & Burger

     It is a Monday afternoon; Izzy and I are trudging, ankle-deep, through the leftover snow-slush from Winter Storm Nemo which covers the sidewalks throughout the city. The only thing that keeps me going is the knowledge that in just a few more steps, I'll be comfortable and warm inside where I can rest my legs and thaw my toes which have long-since frozen solid. Nice try Nemo, but you won't come between me and my one true love: Food

For those of you that have never been to Harry's, it's pretty simple to find in two easy steps:
1. Walk down North Main Street
2. Look for the giant plastic cow

     If you think it's a bit odd for this burger bar to have a life-sized plastic cow standing outside, then you'll love the interior. The sections of wall which aren't covered in cow print and riddled with graphic tiles of various sizes which contain different words and pictures. However, the décor isn't the only change that Harry's has made to the traditional burger bar concept. With a well-sized selection of gourmet burgers made with certified Hereford Beef, and an even bigger selection of craft beers from around the world, including even some great local New England brews, Harry's Bar and Burger definitely sets itself apart from the other burger bars in the area.

     When we walked in, the man behind the bar was pretty nice and told us to just sit anywhere. Once we had seated ourselves, it wasn't long before we were greeted by our waitress. Throughout our meal our service was certainly not rushed, but not too slow either. I'd describe it as very casual service, which fits the laid-back atmosphere well. Our waitress was friendly and attended to everything we needed. Later on in the meal, there was a slight mistake in Izzy's order, and our waitress tended to it immediately by having his order promptly re-made.
     Since the central menu item at Harry's is burgers, I decided to try some burgers for lunch. I got the Fungus Among Us, which is a classic Harry's cheeseburger with portobello mushroom and truffle aioli. Izzy went with the classic Harry's cheeseburger, ad we got an order of fries to split. Our food came pretty quickly, and it showed up nice and hot, due to the open kitchen being so close to the tables in the dining room, which was nice because we were so cold. The burgers there greasy and juicy, as any good burger should be. The Portobello mushrooms were a nice touch and went well with the sharp cheese, but between the flavors of the cheese and the beef, the truffle aioli got lost in the mix, and didn't impart too much flavor on the finished product. Regardless, these burgers were absolutely delicious. Seeing as Harry's prides themselves on serving fresh food made with high quality ingredients, it was a little disappointing that the fries did not appear to be hand cut, but the seasoning used on them was excellent.

 

     With a huge selection of craft beer and gourmet burgers at very reasonable prices, Harry's makes a great hang-out for the college kids in the area. While I'm usually not that big on greasy, unhealthy food, I believe that everyone should splurge on some comfort food every once in a while, and Harry's Bar & Burger is an excellent place to do so. In essence, Harry's is fast food slow.

Small Point Café

       Established in 2010, Small Point is one of the newest additions to the Providence coffee shop scene. However, seeing all of the hard work that must have gone into creating such a well thought out, sustainable eatery, it's obvious that this café has been in conception for a long time. This is the type of place which makes you wonder why anyone would walk into the Dunkin' just a few blocks away.

     Small Point Café is a caffeine oasis, bustling with busy college students, typing away on their laptops, buried in a book, or just enjoying some delicious local food with their friends. With an Ipad-cash-register, Chemex filter-drip coffee pots, and robots drawn on the walls of the restroom, the décor screams post-modern in the best way. Upon walking in, you will be greeted by a plethora of chalkboards behind the counter which have all of the menu items hand written with care. Immediately to your right, there are booths lining a wall which doubles as a chalkboard. There are containers of chalk at each booth for anyone and everyone to leave their mark on the wall. Small Point has a pretty large amount of seating compared to some other coffee shops in the area, which is great, because no one likes the cut-throat competition between customers racing to acquire seats the instant they are cleared which seem to be the norm at other downtown cafes.

      The staff at Small Point are incredibly nice, and you'll often see even the owners, Anne and Adam, working behind the counter, personally preparing food and drink for their loyal customers. Everything that comes out of their tiny kitchen is made fresh, with hand-picked, local, organic(when possible) ingredients. Even the coffee and is all fair trade. The coffee beans here come from a few different roasters, including New Harvest, which operates out of Rhode Island, and Equal Exchange, which uses only fairly traded coffee beans in their roasts. However, coffee isn't the only beverage that Small Point serves. They also have excellent espresso drinks (made with beans roasted by New Harvest), various fair trade and organic teas, locally made soda from Yacht Club, and even fresh squeezed orange juice, made to order. Anne and Adam make sure that everything on their menu is as fresh and sustainable as it can be, and they won't serve anything that doesn't meet their high standards.

     One of my favorite things about Small Point are the Chemex coffee pots which they use. Chemex is a family owned company which makes an extremely unique coffee brewing system which is as much a work of art as it is a means of brewing up your daily dose of caffeine. In addition to being quirky, interesting showpieces on the counter here, these coffee pots make a perfect brew every time.

 

Chemex coffee pots

      Although there are other coffee shops in the area that can boast slightly lower prices, or in-house roasted coffee, Small Point Café has a unique charm to it that keeps me coming back almost every day. Thanks to the friendly staff, the quirky décor, the board games on the shelves for all to enjoy, and the dedication to sustainability, Small Point Café has earned the number one slot on my list of favorite cafés in Providence.

I Heart Providence: East vs Weat

     A city divided by a river unites over food. Providence is split in two by the Providence river, which separates the east side from the west side. Each half of the city has it's idiosyncrasies in every aspect from Universities, to businesses, and even culture. However, the one thing that the east and west ends of Providence both pride themselves on is food. The east side boasts culinary hotspots such as College Hill, Thayer street, and Fox Point, while the west side keeps its citizens well fed with areas such as the Arts District, Broadway street, and Federal Hill. But which half of this food-loving city would win in an all-out battle for culinary supremacy? That's exactly what I Heart Providence and RI Food Fights set out to determine.
     It was a cold night in Providence, and the sidewalks were lightly dusted with fresh snow from the day's flurries. My fingers were chilled to the bone after walking across town. Adriana, Kevin, and I have finally reached city hall and are relieved to know that we're about to escape from the cold night-time air. We walk in, and are greeted by stands run by some local bakeries giving out cookies, brownies, and even fresh fruit for cascading with rich dark chocolate that's flowing from a small chocolate fountain. That sure warmed me up quick.
     After spending a few minutes devouring some delectable, sweet, chocolate dipped fruit, we decided to head upstairs, and were immediately confronted by "The Wall," a large graffiti covered board with "I Heat Providence" written along the top and "East vs West" written along the bottom. The middle section was blank, and there were a few markers close by for everyone to make their mark on this glorious event for all to see.

Taking a 'dip' in the chocolate fountain 

The Wall

 

      Once we reached the second and third floors, I was like a kid in a candy store- or a foodie in a room full of complimentary treats from some amazing restaurants. All around, there were restaurant stands giving out samples and business cards. Among these restaurants were: El Rancho Grande, Abyssinia, Los Andes, Olneyville New York System, and more. I can honestly say that I didn't eat a single thing which wasn't absolutely delicious, and by the time we got to the competitors on the third floor, my stomach was already about to burst with all of the amazing food.

Ceviche, courtesy of Los Andes

Some seriously tasty South American treats from Los Andes 

Abyssinia, serving up authentic Ethiopian and Eritrean comfort food 

 

Bored With Four, supplying some awesome jams for this lovely event

 

      Eventually, we reached the East vs West competing teams and just barely managed to fit all of their incredible food into our stomachs. The competing teams were:

 

The West- North, Julian's, and The Grange

 

The East- Cook & Brown Public House, The Duck & Bunny, and Vanity

 

      After eating all the food which both teams had to offer, I didn't consume a single bite that didn't impress me with unique and inventive flavors. The well qualified judges of the competition were David Dadekian of eatdrinkri.com, Chef Branden Lewis of Johnson & Wales University, and Chef Matt Varga of Gracie's. They named Brandy Schwalbe of The Duck & Bunny as the winning chef, and the East as the winning team, although the West won the vote for the people's choice. Do I sense a rematch in the future? I sure hope so! Personally, I thought that the West side team offered up the best food of the night, and they earned my vote as the winning team. My personal favorite competing restaurant was Julians with an excellent local ricotta and celery root puree.

 

Local Ricotta and Celery Root Puree from Julians

 

      This was one excellent event for the city of Providence, and it certainly proved that our city is an amazing culinary minefield filled with some of the best food you'll ever find. Although the judges and the people didn't quite agree on who won this competition, everyone agreed on one thing: we all 'Heart' Providence!



Rocket Fine Street Food

     There was a time when the term "food truck" brought to mind small, dirty stands serving up $1, greasy, pre-cooked hot dogs fit for no one but a busy working man with a fifteen minute lunch break and a restricted budget. Of course, over the past few years, the concept of the food truck has been completely re-thought by thousands of chefs across America. Modern food trucks are sweeping the nation as beautiful mobile kitchens, run by professionally trained chefs with true passion for making gourmet food affordable for all. Providence has a particularly diverse fleet of food trucks run by some seriously dedicated chefs who work hard along side local farmers to deliver incredibly high quality food which seems to defy the laws of mobile-eats and surpass the potential of their tiny rolling kitchens. The food trucks in Providence serve just about every cuisine you could ever want, including traditional French cuisine from Plouf Plouf Gourmet, LA style Mexican food from Mijos Tacos, savory Korean BBQ from Mama Kim's, and we even have a truck called Fancheezical, dedicated entirely to creating gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches. However, if you're looking for traditional American street food with an inventive gourmet twist, then you're looking for Rocket Fine Street Food.

Rocket with Sandwich Board – photo by Lori Blakey Welles (Taken from www.rocketstreetfood.com)



     It was a Friday afternoon when I made my first trip to Rocket. The sun was shining bright, and the crisp air hinted that spring was on its way, but there was a bitingly cold with which seemed as though it was determined not to let me forget that the bitter New England winter wasn't over just yet. Rocket was set up for lunch in Kennedy Plaza. Although there is usually a plethora of food trucks at Kennedy Plaza for lunch, Rocket was standing alone on this particular afternoon. There was one other customer waiting for his order, but no line, and I was served very quickly. I decided to go with a cup of the Organic Polenta with Gorgonzola, and a slider called "The Parisienne" which is a Niman Ranch angus beef slider, topped with caramelized onions, gruyere cheese, and a roasted garlic aioli. The woman who was serving me was very nice, and even commented on my order, saying that it sounded like an excellent combination.
     My order took about four minutes to come up, which is a very reasonable amount of time. Just long enough to know that the food is cooked to order, yet short enough to know that the chef is well trained on the subject of time management. My total came to $9.75, which might seem like a lot for a small meal at a food truck, but is really a fair price considering the high quality of food which Rocket serves. After receiving my food, I found a nice bench close by, on which I could enjoy my meal.

Lunch at Rocket

(Organic Polenta with Gorgonzola; The Parisienne)

 



     I started with the polenta. I'm a lover of polenta, and this was exceptional. It was creamy and smooth, with bits of sharp, salty gorgonzola which cut through very well, and added accent to each bite. This polenta was a perfect little cup of warmth and comfort on a bitter, windy day. The portion was well sized, and absolutely worth the $4.25.
     At Rocket, all of the burgers are made with Niman Ranch beef, which is humanely and sustainably raised using no hormones or anti-biotics, and it shows through in the flavor. The beef in my parisienne was cooked perfectly, and tasted very fresh. The caramelized onions were sweet which contrasted perfectly with the salty gruyere cheese. However, it was the roasted garlic aioli that really brought everything together. It was smooth yet had a slight tang which completed the taste of this delicious little slider.

Organic Polenta With Gorgonzola

The Parisienne

 

     The Rocket team works hard to provide their customers with a culinary experience that would never be expected from a mobile kitchen. With local and organic ingredients, friendly service, and fair prices, what could make you not want to make a stop at this gourmet food truck? The Rocket truck delivers exactly what they advertise: Fine street food.

Farm Fresh Rhode Island Winter Time Farmers Market

     During the summer, Rhode Island becomes riddled with farmers markets. No matter what day it is, there's always at least one farmers market happening. During the spring and summer, the sustainability movement in Rhode Island is a roaring culture of diverse individuals working together for a good cause. Seeing the amount of people that frequent all of the farmers markets is a great and hopeful sight. Most of them are out doors at parks or other public areas. Unfortunately, once winter rolls around, all of the out door markets go into hibernation until spring, and farmers markets become a much rarer sight. However, there is one market that operates in Rhode Island, and being the only market that operates during the off season, it draws huge crowds of farm fresh food lovers from around the state every week. The winter time market is put on by an organization called Farm Fresh Rhode Island. Farm Fresh Rhode Island puts on many events throughout Rhode Island, including farmers markets, film screenings, community classes, art shows, and more. They are the glue that hold the incredible sustainability movement of Rhode Island together.
     The winter time market operates twice a week indoors at Hope Artiste Village in Pawtucket, RI. On Wednesdays, the market is open from 4:00pm-7:00pm, and on Saturdays, the market is open from 9:00am-1:00pm. I got a chance to go to the market this week, and it was absolutely wonderful. Whether you're shopping for produce, meats, eggs, baked goods, or just looking to strike up an interesting conversation with local farmers and business owners, this market is always a fun time.
     The whole market smells of warm, fresh baked bread, and earthy, locally roasted coffee which gives it a warm, comforting, homey feel, which is absolutely perfect during the cold, bitter winter season. There are over 50 vendors at this huge market, and some of my favorites include:
Seven Stars Bakery, Aquidneck Honey, Barden Family Orchard, New Harvest Coffee Roasters, Matunuck Vegetable Farm, Virginia & Spanish Peanut Co., Baffoni's Poultry Farm, Melville Grille, Taza Chocolate, Narragansett Creamery, New Urban Farmers, The Local Catch, and many more. I managed to get pictures of some of the vendors and their amazing products while I was there as well:

Wishing Stone Farm

Aquidneck Honey

Olga's Cup & Saucer

Narragansett Creamery

Baffoni's Poultry Farm

Virginia & Spanish Peanut Co.

Seven Stars Bakery

The Stirring Spoon

 

     I absolutely love Rhode Island's farmers markets, and this is one of my favorites. I've never been to the winter time farmers market without having at least one delightfully interesting and inspiring conversation with one of the vendors. You'll never find employees that are this passionate about their products at any super market. If you like fresh food, and friendly people, then take a trip to one of your local farmers markets. You'll see just how lovely of an experience it can be, and you'll be sure to walk away with some amazing food, whether it be fresh veggies, Warm pastries, or locally made organic peanut butter. You can't go wrong at this farmers market.

The Locals (Neighborhood Eats)

     Just out of the way of Providence, nestled in a corner of the suburban labyrinth known as North Providence, stands one of my favorite restaurants in our foodie-heaven of a state: The Locals. The Locals is a cozy little restaurant which serves up some seriously tasty food made from the best ingredients in Rhode Island. At The Locals, all of the food is made from scratch using ingredients sourced from local farms in Rhode Island and the surrounding area. I've been to this restaurant many times, and I've never had a disappointing experience. The Locals serves mostly lunch, dinner, and on Sunday, brunch. This is definitely one of my all time favorite spots for Sunday brunch. What better could you do on a Sunday than eat an amazing veggie omelet while listening to the awesome tunes of whichever local musician happens to be performing that day? Simply put: The Locals is good, clean eating.

The Veggie Omelet

     The Locals is a pretty new establishment, opened in 2010 by owner/chef Andrea Cipolla. Just like the seasonal weather of New England, the menu at The Locals is constantly changing based on what ingredients are locally available at the time, which makes for a delicious new experience with every visit. The menu has everything from sweet potato mac 'n' cheese in the fall, to grilled summer squash pizza in summer. However, no matter what season you choose to visit The Locals, I doubt you'll ever have a less-than-delicious meal (I certainly haven't). As expected with any food that is sourced sustainably, it can't always be as cheap as your average Sysco-slop-house, but The Locals manages to keep their prices relatively low in comparison to other local eateries. The appetizers rang in price from $5-$7; breakfast food such as omelets range $6-$8, and main courses range $10-$15. A small price to pay for food of such high quality.
     The décor at The Locals could best be described as artsy. With mismatched chairs and tables, and couches along the wall, the décor has a very modern hipster coffee shop feel which I personally find very comfortable and homey. On the wall, there hangs a plethora of art pieces and chalkboards on which various things are written. These include food specials, drink specials, and other pleasant sayings and messages. One particularly interesting sentence on one of the chalkboards reads "Welcome to the slow food movement babies!" And they hold true to that. While all of the food is absolutely delightful, this is no place to eat when you're in a rush. The extremely small kitchen is usually staffed by only Andrea and one other employee, preparing all of the food, with enough time taken to truly make each dish with care and love. Though the wait is long, the finished product has proven over and over to be worth the wait, and the wonderful wait staff makes sure that your wait is nothing but pleasant.
     The service at The Locals feels very personal. After just a couple visits, the waitresses all remembered who I was and recognize me when I walk in. But even if you're a first-timer here, all of the wait staff want to make you feel at home.

     Having spent most of my childhood on my family farm (Baffoni's Poultry Farm in Johnston, RI), you could say that I was literally born into Rhode Island's sustainability movement. To me, eating local food has always been very important because it supports your local farmers; it keeps more money in your economy; sustainable food is better for both you and the environment; and most importantly, it tastes better! The only thing I love more than food, is great tasting, fresh, scratch-made food, and that's exactly what The Locals delivers! Amazing food; amazing coffee; amazing people; amazing place. Next time you're in the mood for  comfort food, I would highly recommend trying out this awesome local eatery! For more information on The Locals, you can find them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Eat.At.The.Locals