Mushroom Ravioli

Hello people of the earth!

So first of all, sorry for being away for almost a month. No excuse this time...just...studies.
When I'm free, I do one of these three things: eat food, think about food or make food.
Kitchen time is a must for me. Normally, I would end up baking. But last time, I made this:

Mushroom Ravioli

I'm sorry about that little drop on the plate....I'm not that good with serving, not that patient with cleaning and not that smart with photography. Sorry.

 

What is a ravioli, you ask? Well, it a type of dumpling made of a filling sealed between two layers of thin pasta dough.

I love this recipe! It is so simple, and most of the ingredients are always available in our homes. Aaannddd it has mushrooms!!! (surprise, surprise!) If you have seen the blog before, you know how much I love mushrooms.  And best of all, you can prepare this inexpensive meal in under an hour, but it will taste like you worked all day! 

The key to the dish is making the perfect pasta. And it's not rocket science. Nothing about this recipe is(relief!).Kneading it ensures the formation of gluten from gliadin and gluetenin proteins (Yes, I did my reading). It creates an elastic, stretchy, perfect dough. Once you make your own pasta, you'll never go back to the store brought version again.

 The raviolis can be formed and stored in the freezer for weeks. So all you'll need to do is make the 15 minute sauce and you'll have for yourself a filling meal in a rush.

Let's get cooking now, shall we?

INGREDIENTS:

Serves 2

 

For the Pasta Dough:

1 cup Plain Flour

2 eggs

Pinch of Salt

 

For the Filling:

1 tbsp. Olive Oil

1 large Onion (finely diced)

100 grams  Mushrooms (diced)

2 cloves of garlic

Salt to taste

1 tsp. Pepper Powder

1/2 tsp. Nutmeg

1/4 cup Coriander (roughly chopped)

1/2 tsp. Lemon Juice

2 tbsp. grated Processed Cheese

1 tsp. Cream

 

For the Sauce:

1 tbsp. Olive Oil

1 large Onion (finely diced)

2 cloves of Garlic

Salt to taste

1 tsp. Pepper



1 1/2 cup Vegetable/ Chicken Stock

1/2 cup grated Processed Cheese

 

METHOD

Making the pasta dough:

1. Combine the flour, eggs and salt and mix with a fork/ spoon till a breadcrumb-like mixture is formed.
2. Transfer the mixture to a flat, workable surface, roll up those sleeves and get kneading nice and hard, for 10-15 minutes or until the dough is soft to touch and doesn't stick to your hands.
3. Once the dough is made, wrap in cling film and refrigerate for half an hour.

Making the filling:

1. Heat the oil in a thick bottomed pan.
2. Add the onions and sauté till translucent.
3. Add the garlic, mushrooms, salt and pepper and sauté till mushrooms are cooked.
4. Take the mushroom mixture off the heat and add the coriander, nutmeg, lemon juice, cheese and cream.
5. Let the mixture cool.

Making the sauce:

1. In the same pan, sauté the onions and garlic in the oil.
2. Add the mushrooms and cook till soft to touch, but not fully cooked.
3. Add in the stocks, cream and cheese and let the sauce reduce to half.
4. Season as required.

Forming and cooking the ravioli:

1. Put water to boil in a large, deep pan with 1 tbsp. oil and a generous helping of salt.
2. Transfer the dough to a well floured, flat surface and roll to about 2-3mm thin.
3. Cut circles out of the dough with a cookie cutter or an upside down glass.
4. Put about 2 tsp. stuffing in the middle half of the circles.
5. Fill a small bowl with water, dip your fingers in, and moisten the outer edge of the dough circle. This will help the two circles stick together.
6. Take another pasta round and press the ends of the two together.
7. Lightly press the ends with a fork so as to ensure the filling doesn't escape when boiling.
8. Put the formed raviolis on boiling water for 3-4 minutes, until they start to float.
9. Dry the raviolis with a paper towel and add to the sauce.

Serve. :)