Well, my brother had plans to come down for dinner last night. My mom and I couldn't decide on what to make, so we asked Brett what he wanted.
He said "Ricotta stuffed Ravioli with a Tomato Basil Sauce." And of course, I said "sure!". I am always down for something new and I love to experiment.
I checked and I had pretty much everything needed except for some tomatoes and the cheese.
First step was to make the ravioli. I used a basic pasta recipe. Flour, eggs, and a pinch of salt. My dough was a bit tough...so I will have to work the recipe and technique, but it was fun.
I don't have a pasta maker, so I just used a regular rolling pin and did my best. I tried to get it as thin as I could.
It didn't take too long to get all the ravioli's formed. It was a bit relaxing as well. Well...it would have been relaxing if that was the only thing I was doing, but as usual....there was kids running around, crying, and doing what they do best.
The filling, I kept simple. Ricotta, mozzarella, and salt and pepper. I also added a little egg.
The sauce...again was simple. I sauteed some onions and garlic and added a can of crushed tomatoes. I simmered it for a while. I seasoned it with salt and pepper and some fresh purple basil. I wish I had a bit more basil...but that is what I had left on my back porch.;)
So, in the end. The ravioli was a tad tough. Due to my lack of technique in pasta making...and the fact that it needed to be a bit more thin. But, the taste was great and I could set aside the thickness of the ravioli and still enjoy. The sauce was simple and not overpowering. And when you got a bite with the basil in it, it gave a wonderful fragrance to the dish.
I always seem to forget how much I enjoy fresh pasta. And how easy it is to make. It can be a bit time consuming, but well worth it. I do have an attachment on my kitchen aide that I can make fettuccine and spaghetti. I haven't used it in a while. I think a few more fresh pasta dishes are in my near future. Fresh pasta also freezes well and cooks up fast!
I really did only offer that suggestion as a whimsy, but I am glad you went for it and only needed a couple ingredients. They turned out great! Yes, the pasta was a little chewy at the joints, but the sauce was excellent and tomoato and basil go very well together. From-scratch pasta cooks up so fast. You were quite focused while assembling the raviolii(?)... we tried to keep Aydan ocupied as much as could be. Awesome dinner.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I knew when you mentioned it...you didn't really think I would make it. But, I was glad for the idea. It was a bit different than the usual dinners we tend to make....
ReplyDeleteAnd you guys were definitely a big help with the kids...usually he just stands at my leg and cries if no one else is around to pick him up:)