Cooking Club: Homemade Ravioli

This was the recipe I submitted for this month's cooking club. (Read about it here) It was a lot of work-but so so tasty! You might want to make it on the weekend when you have someone around to entertain your helpers, if they are helpers like mine.

Ravioli Di Safferano Con Spinach, Ricotta, E Salsccia
(From Cooking Club of America's Pasta Book)

1 lb. saffron pasta or fresh egg pasta unrolled (I used Egg Roll/Spring Roll wrappers found in refrigerated section-worked great) **
salt to taste
1 egg white, to seal



For Filling
1 lb spinach, washed and stems removed
1 tsp unsalted butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 oz sweet Italian Sausage Meat
1/2 t. ground fennel seeds
1 lb. ricotta, drained
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
2 T. freshly grated Parmesan
1 egg yolk

To Serve:
melted unsalted butter
1 quantity creamy tomato sauce or light tomato sauce (just used Jar Ragu Alfredo sauce)
freshly grated Parmesan to serve

1) For filling, cook the spinach by placing it in deep lidded pan with no water except for the drops clinging to the leaves after washing. Steam the spinach 5-10 minutes until tender, tossing now an then but replacing the lid. Drain and leave until cool enough to handle. Squeeze out as much water as you can. Chop the spinach and set aside.

2) Warm the butter in skillet, add the onion, and saute until softened. Add the sausage meat, breaking it up fine and the fennel seeds. Cook until the sausage meat is browned, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, allow to cool slightly, then combine with ricotta and spinach. Add the seasoning, Parmesan and egg yolk.

3) Roll the pasta dough and form the ravioli-- roll into 4" wide strips. Work with two strips at at time and keep the others covered with a damp cloth. Place a teaspoon of filling at 2" intervals in rows along one of the pasta strips. Dip a pastry brush in the egg white and paint around each spoonful of filling, so that each mound is surrounded by a square of egg white.

4) Place the second rolled-out strip of pasta over the filled sheet. Press down firmly around each mound of filling to seal it, forcing out any trapped air. Use a fluted pastry wheel or a knife to cut the ravioli into two inch squares along the lines of egg white. Press down around each parcel to secure and seal. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.

5) Place the ravioli on trays lined with clean dish towels sprinkled with flour. Do not let the ravioli overlap. Turn them occasionally so they dry evenly. They should not be left to dry for long than 3-4 hours before cooked, refrigerated or frozen.

6) Bring a pan of water to roiling boil. Pick up the cloths holding the ravioli and slide the first batch into the water, followed by 2 T. of salt. Cover the pan until the water returns to a boil. Cook for 3-5 minutes once the water had returned to a boil, stirring gently, tasting for doneness. (MAKE SURE YOU DO NOT COOK ALL AT ONCE-THEY WILL STICK TO EACH OTHER)

7) Transfer the ravioli to a buttered dish. Heat the sauce and spoon it over the ravioli. Serve hot with grated cheese.

** If anyone wants to make their own pasta, contact me for recipe--it is A LOT of work

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Next Saturday I will post the 3rd recipe. Remember, if you make any of these feel free to leave a comment or email me emmy (at) emmymom2 (dot) com and I would love to feature your review.