MUSHROOM RAVIOLI

The best thing about ravioli is that you can pretty much stuff it with anything. It is super easy to make and serves as a complete meal in itself. Ravioli works very well with seafood, but below is a vegetarian take on the same dish. Elbow grease is involved especially in the making of the pasta, but a pasta machine can be used as well. The idea is to have the pasta rolled out as thinly as possible, yet still making sure that it is firm enough to hold the stuffing in while it is being cooked in the boiling water.

For the Ravioli:

2 Tablespoons Flour

1 Egg

A Tablespoon of Milk (maybe more) for Kneading

Pinch of Salt and Black Pepper

For the Stuffing:

2 Garlic Cloves

Half Onion Finely Chopped

Handful of Mushrooms

1 Tomato

3 Tablespoons Paneer

Olive Oil

For the Butter Sauce:

2 Tablespoons Butter

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Juice of Half an Orange

5 Olives Chopped or a Couple of Tablespoons of Chopped Asparagus

1 Teaspoon Chilli Flakes

In a bowl add two heaping tablespoons of flour, a pinch of salt and an egg and mix till dough is formed. Add a tablespoon of milk at a time to help the dough form. From the bowl then transfer the dough on to a flat surface and continue kneading it, dusting it with flour occasionally to dry it up. The egg will ensure that the dough remains elastic at all times and that is how it should be. Spend time kneading the dough and do not try to rush with it as it may ruin the end product. Patience is a virtue after all. When the pasta dough is ready divide it into four pieces and roll them out as thinly as you can. Once the sheets are rolled out, move on to the stuffing.

In a pan heat some olive oil and add to it a couple of cloves of finely chopped garlic. Cook it for a bit till the garlic starts to colour. Then add in half an onion, again finely chopped and continue sautéing. Soon after that add in the chopped mushrooms, chopped tomatoes, a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of chilli flakes for some heat. Cook for another couple of minutes and then turn off the heat. When the mixture cools down add to it two heaping tablespoons of cottage cheese (paneer) and mix it in well together with the remaining ingredients. This is a very basic stuffing and it can be tweaked depending on preferences and tastes.

Take a sheet of pasta and put a small amount of the stuffing in the center of the sheet. With a brush or the tip of your finger line the edges of the sheet with water and place another sheet over it, pressing gently on the edges so that the stuffing is secured well in the center. With the help of a fork, press down on the edges to completely seal the ravioli, but by doing this you also create ridges that enhance the look of the ravioli. Just like any other pasta, take the ravioli and place it in boiling water. At first it will sink to the bottom but it will eventually rise to the top when it is cooked. While it is in the water flip the ravioli occasionally.

The ravioli can be served with a very simple butter sauce. Add a decent knob of butter to a pan with about a tablespoon of olive oil. Once the butter has melted add to it some chopped olives, asparagus, a splash of orange juice and some chilli flakes and mix well. Drizzle this over the ravioli just before serving, and preferably eat it as soon as it is cooked.