Homemade Ravioli

Homemade Ravioli

(about 40 pieces)

Ingredients:

Triple the Recipe for Homemade Pasta from blog Homemade Pasta

Cheese Filling:

2 lbs. Ricotta Cheese

1 cup Grated Romano Cheese (could use Parmesan)

3 Fresh Eggs

2 tbsp. Fresh Parsley, chopped

Meat Filling:

1 lb. Finely Ground Veal

½ lb. Finely Ground Pork

½ lb. Finely Ground Beef

2 Fresh Eggs

2 tbsp. Fresh Parsley, chopped

1 lb. Cooked Spinach, chopped

1 – 2 cups Grated Romano Cheese (could use Parmesan)

½ cup Bread Crumbs

2 tsp. Allspice

1 tsp. Salt

½ tsp. Black Pepper

2 Fresh Eggs, beaten (for sealing pasta)

Directions:

Make the homemade pasta according to the recipe and let rest.  For the cheese filling just mix all ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside until ready to fill ravioli.  For the meat filling brown the meat in a large sauté pan over medium heat until all the pink is gone.  Remove from heat and drain.  In a large bowl combine cooked meat with the remaining ingredients until well incorporated and set aside until ready to fill ravioli.  Make sure you have squeezed as much moisture as possible out of the spinach after it has been cooked.

Take ball of pasta dough and divide into 4 equal pieces.  Roll out one piece as thin as possible on a floured surface in a shape close to 5x20 inches.  Now place about a half tablespoon of your filling mixture on pasta at about one inch intervals going the long way on the pasta.  Make sure you place them about one inch in from the edge of pasta going 5 inches wide.  Brush the egg wash on the pasta around each mound of filling.  Bring the far side of the 5 inch width over the filling and press down to seal trying to get as much air out of filling pocket.  Cut pasta to make individual raviolis.  You can make them prettier by cutting with a pastry cutter, doughnut cutter or even using a drinking glass.  Repeat this process with the remaining pieces of pasta dough.  You should get about 10 ravioli per piece of pasta dough.   Be sure to re-use any pasta dough you cut away at the end.  If you have leftover filling it can be frozen for another time.

To cook the ravioli, drop into salted boiling water in a large pot.  Don’t over fill the pot and cook about 3 minutes.  The ravioli should float when done.  Remove using a slotted spoon or a strainer.  Sauce with an appropriate sauce for the filling and serve at once.

Note:               On meat filling, you could just use all ground beef if you wish.

Note:               To freeze the uncooked ravioli, place on a sheet pan so they don’t touch and put in the freezer.  Once frozen solid remove and place in a zip-lock baggie and return to the freezer.  When needed for a meal simply take out the number you needs and reseal baggie.  The ravioli should last 1 to 2 months in the freezer.

Ideas for Future Efforts

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

Part Three of Italian Cooking

Today I'm still talking about pasta.  Only today I'm talking about stuffed or filled pasta.  The ones that come to mind quickly are ravioli, tortellini, cannelloni and manicotti.  There are also stuffed large shells, cappelletti fantasia and tortelli which is similar to the tortellini already mentioned.

These pastas can be stuffed with many different types of fillings.  Ravioli for example can be found or made most often with a meat or cheese filling.  But there are many places where you can find seafood, mushroom or squash filling too.  As with many things you're only limited by your imagination.  Tomorrow's recipe is for "Homemade Ravioli" and it comes with both a meat and cheese filling to use.  The recipe uses the "Homemade Pasta" recipe from a few weeks ago.

Remember that both recipes will take a little practice before you are comfortable making them.  But it is worth the effort.  You'll have fun and it becomes something you can make the rest of your life.  You could even pass it on to family and friends because you have mastered it.  Enjoy making it with someone and maybe a bottle of wine too.

I mentioned cannelloni and manicotti earlier too.  They are basically the same thing only different.  It depends on where you are (America or Italy).  Cannelloni is usually made using pasta sheets and rolling them with a filling inside and then topped with a sauce.  Manicotti uses a dry pasta tube that is cooked like spaghetti, then  filled and sauced before baking.  In this day and age, it is easier to find and use the tubes so both can be made using either pasta.

There is another big difference between cannelloni and manicotti as well.  Traditionally cannelloni is filled with a meat or vegetable filling and topped with a cream or marinara sauce (non-meat or vegetable).  Where as manicotti is filled with a cheese filling of some kind and topped with a meat or vegetable sauce.

Both of cannelloni and manicotti are then baked once they have been assembled before being served.  They are both usually topped off with cheese before that baking process.  Also remember to let them set for about 10 minutes before serving too.

Thursday will have the recipe for "Cannelloni with Meat Filling."  Because the recipe calls for a "Bechamel Sauce", a recipe for it will appear on Friday.

Corn Bread with Buttermilk & Sour Cream

Corn Bread with Buttermilk & Sour Cream

(9-12 servings)

Ingredients:

½ cup (1 stick) Cold Unsalted Butter, cut into ½ cubes, plus more for greasing pan

2 cups Yellow Cornmeal

¾ cup All Purpose Flour

6 tbsp. Sugar

1 tbsp. Baking Powder

1 ¼ tsp. Kosher Salt

½ tsp. Baking Soda

1 ¼ cup Buttermilk

1/3 cup Sour Cream

2 Large Eggs

Directions:

In a large bowl combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda.  Add the butter cubes and cut in with pastry blender until you have tiny pieces of the mixture.  Whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream and eggs in a medium bowl until well blended.  Now add the dry mixture to the wet mixture until it is evenly moistened.  Scrape into a 9x9 baking dish that has been greased with the extra butter.  Place the dish into a pre-heated 400 degree oven on a center rack for 23-27 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Place on a rack and let cool for 30 minutes before cutting 3x3 or 3x4 and serving.

Note:               You can do the dry ingredients and butter in a food processor in stead of using a pastry blender.  Combine dry ingredients for 5 seconds and add butter for 15 to 20 seconds to get the tiny pieces.

Ideas for Future Efforts

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

Parmesan Bread Soup Bowls

Parmesan Bread Soup Bowls

(6 bowls)

Ingredients:

1 pkg. Regular Dry Yeast

¼ cup Warm Water (105 to 115 degrees)

2 tbsp. Sugar

¼ cup Shortening

3 cups All Purpose Flour

3 tsp. Baking Powder

¼ tsp. Salt

1/3 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

1 cup Buttermilk

Directions:

Dissolve yeast in the warm water using a small bowl.  Stir in the sugar and set aside.  In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and cheese.  Cut the shortening into the flour mixture using a pastry blender until mixture looks like fine crumbs.  Now stir in the yeast mixture and enough buttermilk to pull the dough away from the sides of the bowl.  The mixture should be in a ball form.  On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for about one minute or until smooth.  Cover dough and let it rest for 10 minutes.  Divide dough into 6 equal portions and roll each into a 7 inch circle.  Be sure to do this on a floured surface.  Using 8 to 12 ounce soup bowls or custard cups, grease the outside of each bowl.  Place the bowls upside down on a rimmed sheet pan and top each with a dough circle.  Place the pan in a pre-heated 375 degree oven and bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until they are golden brown.  Remove from the oven and separate the dough bowls from the soup bowls/custard cups carefully as both are very hot.  Place the bread bowls on a wire rack as if you were going to fill them and let them cool.  Once cooled fill with your favorite soup or chili and enjoy.

Note:               If you don’t have a pastry blender, you can use two knives to cut the shortening into the flour mixture.

Ideas for Future Efforts

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

Things That Go with Soups & Chili

As we start into the colder weather season it's nice to have something to go with your soup or chili.  Both are great all by themselves but a tasty accompaniment just adds more to the occasion.

I always enjoy some kind of bread when eating soup or chili.  The trick is finding a good bread that enhances the meal.  If you like making breads all the better.  But if that is not your forte I hope you have a great bakery in your town.  When I lived in a smaller town, I made sure each trip to a bigger city counted.  I would buy breads at a good bakery or a place like Panera Bread.  I bring home a good quantity and freeze it.  My suggestion if you are freezing any kind of bread is to make sure it is used up in 60 days or less.  I don't believe bread holds well in freezers for any time over the 60 days.

If you like making or want to try making different types of breads, I have two this week on the blog.  The first one on Wednesday is making a bread bowl to hold your soup or chili and then eat it.  It's called "Parmesan Bread Soup Bowl" and is not difficult to make and great to eat.

Thursday will be for "Corn Bread with Buttermilk & Sour Cream" and is great with chili or ham & bean soup.  I hope you have fun making both of the recipes.

I also want to let you know that I have a cookbook signing coming up on November 17th from 1 to 3 PM at the "Good Food Store Co-op & Backroom Deli" in Rochester, MN.  It is located at 1001 6th St. NW.  Any of you from around the Rochester area please spread the word to family and friends.  The cookbook makes an excellent Holiday gift.

Another item for those in the Rochester area, my cookbook is now available at the Rochester Library.  Someone locally requested they carry it and so they brought it in for their customers.  Any of you reading this from other areas and don't have a copy of the cookbook, please try requesting your library to put the cookbook on their shelves.  I know it is in several other libraries.

This week on Thursday I will be celebrating the first anniversary of the release of  my cookbook More Than Your First Cookbook.  I would like to thank all those who purchased my cookbook.  I hope that it has been helpful to you or the one you bought it for.

Have a great week!

Cincinnati Chili

Cincinnati Chili (5-Way)

(8 servings)

Ingredients:

¾ lb. Ground Chuck

1 ½ cup Yellow Onion, chopped (divided)

4 cloves Fresh Garlic, minced or pressed

1 can (28 oz.) Crushed Tomatoes, undrained

1 can (8 oz.) Tomato Sauce

½ cup Water

2 tbsp. Chili Powder

2 tbsp. Dry Oregano

1 tsp. Ground Cinnamon

1 tsp. Ground Allspice

½ tsp. Paprika

1 tbsp. Cocoa

½ tsp. Salt

½ tsp. Black Pepper

16 oz. Spaghetti, cooked & held warm

1 can (15 oz.) Pinto Beans, rinsed & drained

1 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Directions:

In a large saucepan over medium heat, brown the ground chuck (5-10 minutes).  Remove from pan, drain and crumble.  In the same saucepan drained of excess fat, sauté a ½ cup of onion with the garlic for about 5 minutes over medium heat.  Next, add the ingredients from crushed tomatoes to black pepper and mix well.  Bring this to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and continue for 15 minutes.  Uncover the saucepan and continue cooking for about 15 more minutes or until the sauce has thickened up.  To serve, put spaghetti on a plate, top with some of the sauce and then add any combination of the beans, onions and shredded cheese.

Note:               Cincinnati chili is served up to a 5-way.  1-way is chili alone, 2-way add spaghetti, 3-way add beans, 4-way add onion and 5-way add the cheese.

Ideas for Future Efforts

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

Butternut Squash Soup

Butternut Squash Soup

(4-6 servings)

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. Butter, room temp

2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 medium Yellow Onion, chopped

1 medium Carrot, chopped in ½ inch pieces

3 cloves Fresh Garlic, minced or pressed

3 ½ lb. Butternut Squash, peeled, seeded & chopped in ¾ inch pieces

6 cups Chicken Stock

¼ cup Fresh Sage Leaves, chopped

To taste Salt & Black Pepper

Directions:

In a 6-8 quart stockpot or Dutch Oven, heat butter and oil together over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and carrot stirring occasionally for about 5-8 minutes or until onion is soft.  Mix in garlic and heat about 30 seconds and it is aromatic.  Now add the squash and stock and bring mixture to a boil.  Add in the sage and continue boiling about 20 minutes more or until the vegetables are tender.  Remove from the heat and using an immersion blender puree until smooth.  Taste and season the mixture with salt and pepper before serving.

Note:               If you don’t have an immersion blender, use a regular blender and puree in batches until all the mixture has been done.

Note:               To make this soup a vegetarian or vegan dish, simply use all oil (no butter) or vegan butter and change the stock to vegetable from chicken.

Ideas for Future Efforts

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________