Ravioli-Making 101

Who doesn't love ravioli? Pillowy mounds of pasta filled with anything you can dream of; meats, cheeses, vegetables, etc. My personal favorite ravioli flavors are wild mushroom with truffles, butternut squash with sage and Italian sausage with Ricotta and Parmesan cheese. They're just so delicious and fun to eat.

I've made many a pasta, but I've never tried my hand at ravioli. The process always seemed out of reach; too difficult and tedious. However, this past week I learned firsthand that the opposite is true. Not only is ravioli easier to make than one might think, they are a fantastic and fun group activity.

Since Bryan and his brother were both married over the summer, thus presenting his parents with two new "daughters," Bryan's mom wanted to start a new family holiday tradition: making ravioli together. Knowing my penchant for cooking and finding recipes, she asked me to find a few recipes for making ravioli filling. We decided that, at least for this first year, we would get pre-made pasta sheets to prevent ourselves from getting overwhelmed. It is incredibly convenient that that Bryan's dad works at company called Home Maid Ravioli, so he brought home a commercial-sized roll of pasta dough.

Saturday morning, Bryan's mom and I set out to make the three ravioli fillings:

• Cheese
• Spinach & Mushroom
• Sausage, Beef & Cheese

Believe it or not, making the fillings was really easy, especially the cheese. The beef/cheese and spinach/mushroom required a quick saute of some ingredients and a few pulses in the food processor; hardly anything to be afraid of. Once Bryan's brother and sister-in-law arrived, we were ready to go. Everyone gathered around the kitchen island and we went to work; it was one well-oiled Bishop machine and we had a really great time. Not to mention we all had a tupperware full of fresh ravioli to take home with us after the fact.

I'll post the recipes below, but the photos really say it all. Don't get intimidated by the amount of ingredients; the work isn't hard at all and as long as you're organized, you'll be just fine. I'd highly recommend hosting a ravioli-making party, where everyone gets to take home the delicious fruits of their labor. As a host, you simply need to get the ingredients and give everyone a job. Got too many people and too few jobs? Alternate positions or just appoint a bartender. Someone needs to keep the drinks flowing! :)

Organize Ravioli Dough & Fillings

Place Mounds of Filling on Dough, 3-Inches Apart

Brush Egg Wash Around Each Filling To "Glue" Sheets Together

Cover Fillings With Top Sheet & Use A Ravioli Shaper/Cutter to Make Desired Shapes

Place Finished Raviolis on Baking Sheet

Boil For 2-3 Minutes & Top With Your Favorite Sauce! (or Freeze For Future Use)

1. CHEESE RAVIOLI

• 1 (16-ounce) container Ricotta
• 1 cup grated Parmesan
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 2 egg yolks (set the whites aside)

Directions: Put the cheeses, salt, and pepper in a blender and pulse. Add the egg yolks and pulse until incorporated. Arrange tablespoon-size dollops of the filling 1 1/2 inches apart on one of the sheets. Brush a little egg white around each dollop, then place another sheet directly on top. Gently press around the filling to remove any air pockets and seal the sheets. Using a ravioli cutter or a knife, cut out ravioli squares. Sprinkle with flour to prevent the dough from sticking. Cook the ravioli in plenty of boiling salted water until they float to the top, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain well and toss with marinara sauce. Garnish with the remaining chopped basil and serve immediately.

2. SPINACH & MUSHROOM RAVIOLI

• 1/4 cup plus 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 6 ounces button mushrooms, slices
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
• 1 (10oz) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 1/4 cup Marscarpone cheese
• 1/4 all-purpose flour (for dusting baking sheet)
• 1/2 cup finely chopped assorted mushrooms (such as cremini, button, and stemmed shitake)
• 2 1/2 cups marinara sauce
• (Makes 2 main course servings)

Directions: In a large saute pan, heat 1/4 cup of oil over a medium-high flame. Add the sliced button mushrooms and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of both salt & pepper. Saute until the liquid has evaporated from the mushrooms, about 6 minutes. Add the spinach and saute for 2 minutes. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until a coarse texture forms,. Transfer the spinach mixture to a large bowl and stir in 1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese and the Marscarpone. Season the filling with more salt and pepper to taste. Using a tablespoon, spoon mounds of the spinach mixture 1-inch apart on the ravioli dough. Top with another sheet of ravioli dough. Using a fluted ravioli cutter, cut out the ravioli squares, forming 12 total. Place the the ravioli on a prepared baking sheet and cover with a clean towel. In a large, heavy saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over a medium-high flame. Add the chopped assorted mushrooms and saute until soft and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 8 minutes. Carefully stir in the marinara sauce and simmer for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Adding 4 ravioli at a time to the salted water, cook the ravioli until tender, about 3 minutes (working in small batches will prevent the ravioli from crowding in the pot and sticking together). Using a slotted spoon, transfer the ravioli to two plates. Spoon the mushroom sauce over the ravioli, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

3. SAUSAGE, BEEF & CHEESE RAVIOLI

• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1/2 pound Italian sausage
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion (from 1 onion)
• 1 (15-ounce) container whole-milk ricotta cheese
• 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
• 1 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
• 3 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups marinara sauce

Directions: Heat a medium size, heavy skillet over a medium flame. Add the ground beef (or sausage) and onion and saute until the meat browns and the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Once it has cooled, add in the salt, pepper, garlic, and parsley. Transfer to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until a coarse texture forms. Transfer to a mixing bowl and add in 1 cup of the mozzarella and 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese. Mix to combine. Using a tablespoon, spoon mounds of the meat and cheese mixture 1-inch apart on the ravioli dough. Top with another sheet of ravioli dough. Using a fluted ravioli cutter, cut out the ravioli squares, forming 12 total. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Adding 4 ravioli at a time to the salted water, cook the ravioli until tender, about 3 minutes (working in small batches will prevent the ravioli from crowding in the pot and sticking together). Using a slotted spoon, transfer the ravioli to two plates.