PASTA PART II: FILLED PASTA
This week on Basics I'm showing you how to up your pasta game by making filled pasta like tortellini and ravioli.
Special Equipment List
Wide non-stick pan
Shopping List
For Pasta Dough
1 lb. flour
4 eggs
For the tortellini en brodo
Pre-made pasta dough
1/3 lb grated mozzarella
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp finely chopped basil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Fresh grated nutmeg
Beef, chicken, or veal broth
Fresh grated parmesan to top
For the butternut squash ravioli with browned butter
1 large butternut squash
Extra virgin olive oil
4 ounces grated parmesan cheese
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 sticks butter
Fresh sage leaves
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Balsamic cream or reduction
Fresh grated parmesan to top
Method
For the pasta dough recipe click here
Tortellini En Brodo
After you make your ball of dough, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and let it sit for 30 minutes at room temperature.
To make the tortellini filling, grate ⅓ pound of mozzarella cheese and then combine with equal parts ricotta and parmesan cheese (about ½ cup each). Finely chop some basil and add that to the mixture along with salt, pepper, and a little freshly grated nutmeg. Mix to combine. Cover and refrigerate until ready to be used.
Roll out your dough either by hand or by using a pasta-making KitchenAid attachment. It should be in one long thing strip (mine was on the second thinnest setting). Cut out small rounds from the sheet of dough. Reuse leftover dough for more rounds. Fill each round of dough with about a teaspoon of your cheese mixture. Use some water to wet the edges and then fold over and seal with the other side. Grab both corners and bring them together in the middle to make that tortellini shape. Do that for as many tortellini as you’d like to make.
Cook in boiling water for 3-5 minutes and then place a few tortellini in each bowl for serving.
Fill each bowl with either beef, chicken, or veal broth - just enough to cover the pasta. Top with grated parmesan cheese.
Serve and enjoy!
For the butternut squash ravioli with browned butter
Start by cutting off both ends of the butternut squash, slice it in half lengthwise, and then remove the seeds.
Drizzle each slice with olive oil and then place cut side down on a parchment lined baking sheet. Roast at 375°F for 45-60 minutes.
Scoop the flesh of the squash out and into a food processor. Add 4 ounces of grated parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and a good glug of olive oil. Process until very smooth.
Roll out your pasta dough until it is nice and thin. Lay out on a floured work surface and place small dollops of the butternut squash mixture every inch or so.
Wet the area around each dollop of filling and then fold the top half of the pasta over the bottom half of the pasta. Press around each piece of filling and make sure it’s securely sealed and that you’ve gotten most of the air out of there.
Using a pizza cutter or ravioli cutter, cut around each dollop to make your raviolis.
Over a medium heat, brown 1 ½ sticks of butter in a skillet. Add some fresh sage at the end of the browning and remove once wilted and crisp.
Cook your ravioli in boiling water for 3-5 minutes and then once cooked, strain and add directly to the browned butter still in the pan (but off of the heat). Keep stirring until the pasta sauce comes together and sticks to the ravioli.
Put on a plate, top with grated parmesan, and drizzle with some balsamic reduction. Add your crispy sage leaves for flavor and presentation.
Serve and enjoy!