Ravioli: Part I

Pasta is the best. Stuff? Also great. Ergo, pasta with stuff inside it? NUMBER ONE.

I received two ravioli makers for my birthday, making me feel extremely known. I got a Kitchen Aid one that stamps em out in a huge row if you do everything right, and makes a mess of your life if you don't, from my mom, a woman who has always believed in me, even when it comes to mastering the Kitchen Aid ravioli maker, which I now sort of have!

K, a few mistakes, but many beauties

Girl in action

I also got a classic plaque style ravioli maker from my pasta guru Lillian, which makes larger, fuller ravioli simpler but slower. I like to get 'em both going. Old and new style are pictured together in the top photo.

As you can see, I keep at least two Trader Joe's basil plants going at once on my counter always. So my first few times making ravioli (including when I made Sarah and Julia cut out circles with mason jars and fold them by hand. Sorry baes!), I made variations on goat cheese and basil ravioli. 

After improvising with my food processor and just goat cheese, basil, some salt and olive oil for smoothness, I consulted some actual recipes. Looks like you can cut this sorta ravioli filling with ricotta to make a lighter, smoother, less sticky filling. I also added defrosted frozen chopped spinach (as used in my green pasta) and tossed that in, too. Bonus veg! Now, a lot of recipes (okay, all of em) call for a raw egg to bind the filling. I prefer using olive oil, and it's not always necessary. That way I can taste without fear, and keep leftover filling in the fridge to make gorgeous tartines, serve up as a dip, or toss with cooked dried pasta as a cheese sauce. In the next entry, I venture into meat filling, and my extra filling is basically pate, and it rules. Being able to store and snack on filling is a blessing.

That's not to say I didn't use up as much filling as I could. Ravioli freeze GREAT. Spread flour on a baking sheet, place ravioli in a single layer and put it in a freezer. Once they're frozen, you can stack em up in a tupperware without them sticking together and cook them whenever, so fast. This is a great quick dinner: ravioli cooked then tossed in oilive oil and parm and maybe some arugula or basil? Oh hell yes.