Ravioli with potatoes. mushroom sauce and fried sage leaves
Pasta, pasta, pasta. I can eat it every day although not necessarily with such a rich sauce. Today I was in the mood for ravioli and wanted to try a potato filling instead of the usual ricotta. I also had mushrooms and asparagus that I needed to use as we are off to another “exploring our BC backyard” adventure in the Sunshine Coast so this was an opportunity to use them in a sauce for the ravioli. With cream, yes. I also have sage in the rooftop garden that is growing out of control so a few fried sage leaves completed the dish although they didn’t make a dent in the plant.
I made a small batch of pasta with one cup “00” flour and two eggs and this made about 16 ravioli.The filling is made from mashed potatoes enriched with butter and grated parmesan. The sauce is made by cooking the mushrooms and asparagus in butter then adding cream and thinning it out with stock.
In terms of process I first make the filling, then the dough, assemble the ravioli and let them sit until ready to cook. I make the sauce and cook the ravioli just before serving.
I have a few sweet potatoes in the pantry and may make another ravioli dish today with sweet potato filling. Or shall I make sweet potato gnocchi? Only time will tell.
Stay tuned.
Ingredients:
Pasta dough:
1 cup “00” flour
2 eggs
1 teaspoon olive oil
Filling:
4 potatoes
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup grated parmesan
Salt and pepper
Sauce:
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups mixed chopped mushrooms (I used shitake and enoki)
1/2 cup whipping cream
About 6 asparagus, slice into 1″ segments on the diagonal, reserve tops
1/2 cup stock, more as needed
Salt and pepper
Fried age leaves
6 Sage leaves
1/4 cup olive oil
Fleur de sel or maldon salt
Directions:
Pasta:
Place the flour on the counter or in a bowl and make a well in the center.
Add the eggs and mix them lightly with a fork.
Begin adding the flour to the eggs with the fork, incorporating it from the center and eventually mix the dough with your hand until it comes together.
Turn over onto the counter and knead a few minutes until the dough is nice and elastic.
Wrap in plastic and let rest for 30 minutes.
Filling:
Cook the potatoes in boiling water until done.
Peel and mash with the butter and cheese.
Season to taste with salt and pepper
Assembling the ravioli:
Roll the pasta dough in a pasta machine until thin, level 7 on my hand cranked pasta machine. Use half the dough at a time and keep the rest covered.
Create a ribbon of pasta with the dough and lay it over a lightly floured counter.
Using a small ice cream scoop (1 tablespoon) place filling at regular interval along half the pasta and Brush the dough around the ravioli with a little water to help the top layer stick.
Bring the rest of the pasta ribbon over the filling, laying it over the potato mounds. Press the dough around the filling eliminating any air pockets.
Cut the ravioli into desired shape, usually square or round. Transfer the ravioli to a lightly floured tray and set aside until ready to cook.
Fried sage leaves:
Heat the olive oil in a small skillet, add a few sage leaves at a time and fry until crips, a few at a time.
Transfer to a paper lined plate and sprinkle with fleur de sel or maldon salt.
Set aside until ready to use.
Sauce:
Cook the mushrooms in the butter until they soften.
Add the cream and asparagus and cook over medium heat until the asparagus is cooked.
Add the stock and cook until you reach a nice consistency.
Season with salt and pepper.
Assembling the dish:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Add the ravioli and cook until done.
Drain the ravioli and add to the sauce in one or two batches until ravioli is coated with the sauce.
Spoon the ravioli into serving bowls, top with the sauce and a couple of fried sage leaves.
Serve with additional grated cheese.
Comments are closed here.