MOM'S SPINACH RAVIOLI
Christmas 2023 UPDATE!
Who DA Thought there would be a better way to stuff pasta?
Well, here is a great tip from a small pasta shop in Lucca Italy. How quick, easy and mess free is using a pastry bag to fill those pillowy pasta squares. I made a recipe adjustment to the filling recipe below. In place of using a whole egg in the filling recipe below I used two egg whites. The two remaining egg yolks I use in the pasta dough (see recipe below) If you have any fun pasta filling tips, please share your delicious ideas!
Using a large pastry bag, we split the filling into three bags. Be sure to wear gloves when using this, or any, pasta filling method.
PASTA RECIPE
TIP:
The pasta recipe below is made easier if you mix in a KitchenAid mixer using a dough hook.
COMBINE IN LARGE BOWL:
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1-1/2 cup of lukewarm water
TO THE ABOVE MIXTURE, GRADUALLY ADD 5 to 5 1/2 cups of flour until the mixture forms a stiff ball that falls from your hand like a bandage. On a floured surface knead the dough for a few minutes until completely smooth. Place dough ball in an oiled bowl, cover with wet towel and place in warm place for one hour. Follow directions for rolling and stuffing below.
My Mom's recipe to the left is the original recipe printed in the Delicious Memories cookbook. The ravioli I create each holiday is basically the same as my Mom's but I have tweaked the recipe to meet my needs. First, I cut the recipe in half which is easy to do. In place of frozen spinach I use a 5 oz package of fresh spinach that I chop with the onion and garlic in a food processor. Be careful NOT to over process. I saute the onions, garlic and spinach with the ground beef and I add my spices after cooking. I cut back a tad (just a tad) on the allspice (3/4 teaspoon) and add a scant 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg.
So my recipe is as follows:
CHOP: 5 oz bag of spinach with 1 large onion and 1 large clove of garlic
SAUTE: 1 pound ground beef adding chopped vegetables until all the liquid has cooked off
ADD: 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped fine, 3/4 teaspoons allspice, scant 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
Let mixture cool and push through a meat grinder. I use a Kitchen Aide with the grinder attachment. To clear grinder push through 20 saltine crackers (this adds salt to your mixture and clears all the meat/spinach mixture).
ADD TO MIXTURE: 1 cup of grated Asiago cheese and 2 eggs. Mix well stirring until all ingredients are blended. Refrigerate mixture over night. The next day follow stuffing directions below. As I complete a row of the ravioli I place in the freezer on a parchment lined cookie sheet. As the ravioli freeze move to a freezer bag.
RIGHT: Cut dough ball into three or four pieces.
ABOVE: Roll dough through KitchenAide pasta rollers.
LEFT: Fold dough repeatedly and roll through two to three times, until desired thickness
FAR LEFT: Dough ready to fill...
MIDDLE: Cut dough strip in half for easier filling.
RIGHT: Form filling into ball and place on dugh strip. Moisten edge with water.
Fold dough over filling pressing around the filling to release air pockets and seal. Cut edge pasta trimmer.
Cut pasta into individual raviolis and seal edges with a folk.
Place individual raviolis on parchment lined cookie sheet in freezer. Once the ravioli is frozen, transfer to a freezer bag.