Homemade ravioli

Right off the bat I have to say sorry...no pictures. :( My camera battery died right as I started making my ravioli! :(

Thanks to my friend Danielle, who let me borrow her pasta maker! I wanted to get as much use out of it in one session, just in case I didn't have time to use it again! I decided to make linguine and two flavors of ravioli.

I got my pasta recipe from Alanna of Two Fat Als. I put 4 cups of flour in a bowl with 2 tsp salt. I made a hole in the flour and one at a time, added 6 eggs. Then I kneaded it until smooth, adding a couple teaspoons of water until it was the right consistency. I let it sit for a few minutes while I got the pasta maker set up.


Attached is a photo of what the pasta maker looked like. :)

Then I cut the ball of dough into small sections, and ran them through the press on the thickest setting several times until it came out nice and smooth. I made the linguine first, so I left the pasta sheets on the thicker setting, then ran them through the linguine roller. Unfortunately, the dough wasn't floured enough, and all the noodles stuck together in a clump. So, I mushed them all together and started over! I made sure to flour them well the second time around.

By this point, I had to enlist the husband to help me out. Pasta making sure ended up being more complicated than it looked! I got him set up rolling out the rest of the dough into sheets, and then into even thinner sheets for ravioli. While he was busy with that, I started making the ravioli fillings - Butternut Squash & Pear, and Cheese & Herb. Once that was done, we got our ravioli prep stations set up. I had the long sheets of dough laid out on the counter, and I began cutting them into small strips, one at a time. I dropped a teaspoon of filling onto each one, then gave it to Mike. He brushed water around all 4 edges of the sheet, around the filling, and pushed them shut, sealing all four sides at the edges with a fork. They looked perfect! We set them on a cooking sheet covered in wax paper to set. We decided to eat the Cheese & Herb ravioli last night, so we set it aside, while the linguine went into the freezer to harden, and the Butternut Squash ravioli set in the fridge (now in the freezer for next week).

To cook the ravioli, I cooked them in boiling water for about 6 minutes. OMG....it was SO good!!!! The ravioli was more tender than regular ravioli, but not squishy or overcooked. Really, I think it was the best ravioli I have ever had!!! I can't wait to eat the leftovers for lunch!!!

I made up the cheese ravioli recipe on my own. I used a tub of ricotta cheese, and mixed it with some garlic & herb goat cheese, shredded Italian cheeses (parmesan, asiago, reggiano), and basil, herbs du provence, and salt & pepper. YUM.

For the butternut squash, I found a recipe on Gourmet Food. I cannot wait to try this recipe!!! All I have to do is boil the ravioli for 6 minutes or so, then serve it with butter, rosemary, and pecans.

• 1 Butternut Squash
• 1 Large Pear, peeled, cored, and diced small
• 1/4 Teaspoon Chili Powder, preferably Ancho chili
• 1/4 Cup Dry Jack, Asiago, or Parmesan Cheese, grated
• 1/4 Cup Pecans, toasted and roughly chopped
• 4 Tablespoons Butter, unsalted
• 2 Teaspoons Fresh Rosemary, chopped fine
• Pinch Salt

Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Place the squash flesh side down on a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil. Roast the squash until the flesh is easily pierced with a fork (about 45 minutes). Let cool slightly and scoop out the flesh.

Place the cooked squash into a large fry pan and cook over medium heat. Cook for about 10 minutes to dry out the squash. Remove from heat and place in a large bowl.

To the squash, add the cheese, chili powder, and diced pear. Mix well and add salt to taste.

The linguine I will be serving with salmon and a parmesan basil sauce. I can't wait!

Thanks, Danielle, for letting me borrow the pasta maker! I had so much fun trying something new. :) While I'm glad I don't have to put this much effort into cooking every night, it sure was fun for a special night of cooking! :)