Veal Ravioli Food

VEAL AND MUSHROOM STEW OVER MASCARPONE RAVIOLI

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan, over medium heat. Season the veal with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Add the veal to the pan and brown, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the onions and saute for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the mushrooms have released most of their liquid. Add the shallots and tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes. Add the 2 tablespoons of garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add the veal reduction and bring the liquid up to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 6 to 8 minutes. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in the butter and parsley. Set aside and keep warm.
• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. In a mixing bowl, combine the cheese, remaining teaspoon of garlic, remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt, remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper and basil. Mix well. Divide the cheese mixture evenly among the centers of each of 16 squares of the fresh pasta. With a little water, lightly wet the edges of the pasta. Place the remaining pasta squares over the cheese. Press the 2 squares of pasta together tightly, then crimp using the tines of a fork to seal the ravioli completely. Place the ravioli in the boiling water, in batches if necessary, and cook until tender, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the water and drain completely.
• To serve, place 2 ravioli in the center of each shallow bowl. Spoon the stew over the pasta. Garnish with the cheese and chives.

RAVIOLI (DOUGH AND CHOICE OF 4 FILLINGS)

Steps:

• MAKING THE FILLING: Ricotta Filling#1: In a large bowl, blend all filling ingredients together until smooth, set aside filling until needed.
• Ricotta Filling#2: In a large bowl, blend all filling ingredients together until smooth, set aside filling until needed.
• Beef and Spinach Filling: Brown beef and veal in butter with the whole clove of garlic.
• Remove garlic and let meat mixture cool.
• Mix spinach, parsley, eggs, cheese and nutmeg into cooled meat until well blended, set aside filling until needed.
• Sausage Filling: Brown sausage in frying pan, drain fat and allow sausage to cool.
• When sausage has cooled, mix in eggs and cheese, set aside filling until needed.
• MAKING THE RAVIOLI DOUGH: Sift flour and salt together.
• Place flour mixture on a board, making a well in the center of the flour.
• Drop eggs into the flour well, using your hand or a fork, break the yolks and beat eggs slightly.
• Combine the eggs and flour together, gradually adding enough warm water to make a stiff dough.
• Knead dough well, until smooth; cover the dough and let it rest for 15 minutes.
• Cut dough in half and roll each half of the dough out on a floured board, into a very thin sheet (about 1/16 to 1/8 inch thick).
• FILLING THE RAVIOLI: Drop about 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoonfuls of filling about 1 1/2 inches apart all along the dough.
• When the sheet of dough is fully dotted with dabs of filling mixture, cover filling with other sheet of dough.
• Using your fingers, gently press dough between each dab of filling to seal it.
• Cut ravioli into squares with a (zig-zag edged) pastry cutter, or very sharp knife.
• DRYING THE RAVIOLI: Allow ravioli to dry for one hour before cooking.
• COOKING THE RAVIOLI: Drop ravioli into 6 to 8 quarts of boiling, salted water and cook for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until dough is tender.
• Remove cooked ravioli from pot carefully with a skimmer or a large slotted spoon, and drain well.
• Place drained ravioli on a serving platter in layers, alternating layers with your favorite sauce and a sprinkling of grated cheese between each ravioli layer.
• Serve hot.