Spicy Sausage Ravioli, Chicken Spinach Ravioli; making pasta

Making gnocchi is easy, if time-consuming, but doesn’t require any special equipment.

Making pasta is easy – if you have some special equipment.

Of course it’s really easy if you have the fancy equipment where you put the flour and water in on one side and the pasta comes out, finished, on the other.

I don’t have that.

I have this:

This is a very well-used, well-traveled Pasta Queen.

A new one will probably cost 30 – 40 dollars and it will last a lifetime. The basic model makes fettuccine, linguine and pasta sheets that can be used for lasagna and ravioli.

Sure if you had a fancy extruder you could make macaroni and penne and chitarra and spaghetti…..

But you would still need the good old Pasta Queen for the flat pasta.

The technique for making the pasta is the same, regardless of how you cut it, so I’m giving you two ravioli recipes….

Starting with the pasta, of course.

The basic recipe for pasta

1 cup flour
1 egg
1 tbs olive oil
1 – 2 tbs water
pinch salt

Put the flour on your work surface and make a well in the center.  Add the egg, olive oil and salt in the center and, using a fork, slowly incorporate the flour.  Once it’s mostly combined start kneading it, adding water a few drops at a time, just until the dough stays together.  Knead until smooth.  Cover and let rest 15 minutes.

While it rests, make the filling:

Spicy Sausage Ricotta Filling

6oz (180gr) spicy sausage
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 cup ricotta cheese

Sauté the sausage in a nonstick skillet, breaking it up as it browns.  Add the chili powder, basil and brown well.  Drain excess fat.  Stir in ricotta.

Roll out the dough using your trusty Pasta Queen.

I pass the dough through the thickest setting several times, letting the machine knead it until smooth.  Then pass it through the remaining thickness settings one time each.
Keep the remaining dough covered as you work.

When one sheet is rolled out, lay it flat and cut it in half (the short way). Mound 1 teaspoonful of filling in 2 columns about 2 inches apart on one sheet (space evenly).  With a pastry brush – or your finger, slightly dampen a line between all of the future raviolis. 
Lay the other sheet on top, allowing it to sag between the fillings.  With the side of your hand press the top sheet to the bottom sheet, forming the ravioli.  With a sharp knife, cut them apart.  With your fingers, seal around the edges of each ravioli – should be where you moistened it….

Lay them on towels to dry slightly.

Finish making the pasta and ravioli.

While the ravioli rest, bring a large pot of water to boil.

And make the sauce:

Simple Tomato Sauce

15oz (450gr) whole tomatoes, chopped, all juices reserved
2 shallots, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp smoky paprika
1 tsp dried basil
2 tsp olive oil

Sauté shallot, garlic and paprika in oil until shallots are tender.  Add tomatoes, juices, basil and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer 10 minutes.

Cook the ravioli in batches in boiling, salted water, 3 – 4 minutes, or until done.  Remove with a large slotted spoon and drain.

To serve:  Top ravioli with sauce and freshly shredded Parmesan.

The above ravioli were 3″ (7.5cm) square…. and the recipe served two

You can also make larger ravioli.

And flavored ravioli.

The Spinach Ravioli is double the pasta dough, and serves four.

Spinach Ravioli with Chicken

The dough

2 cups flour
2 eggs
1oz (30gr) cooked or thawed spinach, squeezed dry and chopped
1 tbs olive oil
1 – 2 tbs water

Follow the directions for making pasta dough, seperating the spinach and adding with the eggs.  Cover and let rest.

The filling

1 chicken breast
2 slices (1.5oz, 45gr) Prosciutto, chopped
2oz (60gr) mushrooms, trimmed and chopped
2 shallots, chopped
1 tsp parsley
2 tsp oil
1/2 cup ricotta cheese

Poach the chicken breast in 1/2 inch of water in a covered skillet until done, about 10 minutes. Remove and finely chop.
Sauté shallots and mushrooms in oil until shallots are tender. 
Combine all ingredients for filling, set aside.

The sauce

4oz (125gr) pimento
15oz (450gr) whole tomatoes, with juices
2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp oregano

Purée all ingredients for sauce.  Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.

Roll out pasta dough as above.  Put 1 tablespoon filling in the center of the pasta sheets making ravioli about 5″ (12cm) square.  Re-roll trimmed pasta dough.
Cook ravioli in batches in rapidly boiling salted water for 3 – 4 minutes.  Remove with slotted spoon and drain.

To serve: Top ravioli with sauce and freshly shredded Parmesan.

You can use either recipe to make fettucini or linguini.  Put the attachement on the Pasta Queen and, after you have the dough nice and thin, run it through the attachment at the width of your choice…. The pasta will cook in 1 – 2 minutes.

See how simple?

I’m sending this to Claire, of Chez Cayenne, this week’s host for Presto Pasta Nights.

Visit her blog on Friday for all the wonderful pasta dishes!