Isolation Raviolis - Three Fillings!

This recipe is split into three parts: the dough, the filling, and the actual making of raviolis.

My love for foods stuffed/wrapped in other foods runs really, really deep. And this doesn’t end with EATING food stuffed in other food. I love to make it too.

I’ve been enjoying the “extra time” that isolation has provided, and have been using it to take on all the culinary projects that require quite a bit of your attention. Ie. Foods stuffed in other foods - because stuffing things takes time!

So here’s the recipe for the ravioli I made in April. (Was it April? I have lost all track of time and space).

If you, like me, plan on making enough ravioli to stuff your freezer - and perhaps explore a few different fillings - I recommend making your fillings the day before and putting them in the refrigerator. The next day make your dough and fill ‘em. Unless you want to do it all at once and pull a kitchen all-nighter (which isn’t a bad thing - we’ve been eating a lot of meals at 11pm.)

DOUGH RECIPE:
(You can use this recipe to make simple pasta, or stuff it to make raviolis/tortellinis).

2 cups all purpose flour
3 large eggs
pinch of salt.
pinch of oil to soften.

* Pile your flour/salt on your countertop and make a well (like a volcano). Crack your eggs into the centre, and using a fork, beat the eggs while slowly incorporating the flour. Once the eggs are mixed and slightly thickened, use your fingertips to gradually incorporate the flour into the eggs until you form a smooth dough. If the dough feels too dry, add some oil or water. If it is too sticky - add a bit more flour!

Knead the dough until satiny and very elastic (up to 10 minutes, depending on how strong you are!) Divide into 4 pieces and cover with an inverted bowl. Let is rest for 60min before rolling out.

FILLINGS:
I made three fillings - but there are SO MANY FILLINGS you can try. Try swapping out the beef for chicken or pork. Change up the cheese. Substitute the fig for butternut squash. Try different herbs! This is why stuffed foods are fun - making combos.
Please note that I tend to cook with handfuls/pinches/ratios as opposed to measurements. I’ve written down measurements to help you out, but you should scale it up/down depending on how much ravioli you want to eat!

1. FIG, RICOTTA & WALNUT FILLING:
- 1 cup figs (either mash fresh figs, or puree some dried figs with water)
- 1 cup ricotta cheese (bonus points if you make your own cheese - but that’s for another post!)
- 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts.
- pinch of fresh sage, finely chopped
- salt and pepper to taste

Mix it all together! Congratulations, you’re done! You can skip making raviolis all together and spread this on a cracker (or eat it on a spoon). Or… continue on if you like the extra work!

2. BEEF, SPINACH & PARMESAN FILLING:
- 1/2 cup spinach, chopped
- 1 cup ground beef
- 1/2 an onion, chopped finely
- 3 cloves of garlic (I love garlic - so take that as you will).
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup bread crumbs or oats
- 1/2 cup parmesan
pinch basil
handful of parsley
salt and pepper to taste
touch of cream or broth (or if you’re lazy - water) for consistency

Over medium heat, fry your chopped onions in olive oil until browned. Add your ground beef and fry until fully cooked. Add your garlic and spinach, and put a lid over the pan to steam the spinach a bit. Remove from the heat. When cooled, combine with the rest of the ingredients, except the cream. Stir in a touch of cream just enough to form a stiff paste - if you like your food really mushed together, you could pop it into a food processor. I prefer some texture so I’m happy to get a chunk of garlic here and there. Refrigerate until you need it!

3. MUSHROOM AND RICOTTA FILLING:

2 cups mushrooms of your choice
1 onion, finely chopped
2 bay leaves
1/3 cup red wine
2 tbsp tomato paste
3 garlic cloves
1/2 cup broth
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup ricotta (or parmesan)

Over medium heat, cook your onions until they are brown, with the bay leaves. Add the mushroom and cook until softening. Then add your wine, tomato paste and garlic. Bring it to a boil and cook until the pan is almost dry. Add the chicken broth, and do the same (boil until almost dry). Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and let cool, fish out the bay leaves. When completely cool, blend in the cheese! Refrigerate!

Now for the fun, HOW TO MAKE RAVIOLIS:

Roll out one of your balls of pasta dough into two rectangular strips roughly 4” wide (I roll it out to 8” and then cut in half). You REALLY need to roll it thin - it should be almost as thin as paper. If you hold it up to the light, you should be able to see the light shining through it!

On one strip, place 1/2 tsp mounds of filling spaced about an inch apart. Dip your finger in water and run it around each mound of filling - including all edges. Pick up your second strip, fold it in half like a burrito, and lay the crease along the centre. Push down with your finger along the centre, securing the two pieces together. Then starting from one end, press firmly around each mound, making sure no air is trapped. Use a paring knife to cut the sheet into squares or rectangles, making sure each one is sealed. I go around the edges, pushing down with a fork to make sure they are completely closed. (If you do not do this, you will regret it when your filling comes bubbling out into the cooking water and all your hard work goes down the sink!)

Repeat until all your filling is used up! If you’re like me, you will eagerly make WAY too much filling, and will have to keep making dough and filling raviolis for the next 4 days.

Line ‘em on a pan and freeze, then pour into a bag when they are completely frozen, for future use.

Want to eat them now? Dump into boiling water and when they float/are perfectly al dente, enjoy!

I recommend a cream or butter sauce for the mushroom and fig fillings, and cream or tomato sauce for the beef! If you want to go wild (like I did) - make a wine sauce for the mushroom and wine filling. So yummy.

Enjoy!