Preparation Time : 40 minutes
Cooking Time : 40 minutes
Serving : 8 members
Description
Ravioli. An italian delicacy.From the first time i got to know about this dish through Australian master chef series, wanted to try it then and there. But the reviews the judges gave to the ravioli’s made by the contestants made me a bit nervous. I made up my mind that i should give a try only with a professional touch to it. did ask my sister (fazeem) to send me a lasagna sheet maker machine from U.K (thinking i would roll the pastry dough through and make ravioli’s with thin perfect pastry sheets in a professional way as i thought) fazeem did sent it over through my parents but it was a ravioli maker machine which we had to be fixed into a lasagna machine maker. My professional plan was thrown into the bins. Back to square one, had to make ravioli in the old school cooking style. Was nervous but just shook myself saying we indians are instinctively good in handling and kneading dough as every household makes chapathis , poories, pathiris, Naans, rotis, etc… With all my courage , finally gave it a try with my hands doing the professional part instead of a machine. After a long tedious process of the making of the dough , filling, pastry,sauce, ravioli’s, cooking them and putting them together. Was waiting with my fingers crossed for the verdict from my people (just like in Master chef)every one were just digging into the ravioli without a word.Waited, loosing my patience asked them how is it ? Every one were like its so “YUMMY”. Uuff what a relief it was to hear this. The ravioli’s were so soft and tender and were perfect as i wanted it. In fact they were better than the lasagna sheets (ready made one’s)i use to make lasagna. At times we underestimate ourselves.
Ingredients for filling
Ingredients | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Minced chicken | cooked to dry 200 grams |
| Chopped Spinach | 2 cups cooked |
| Onion | 1 chopped |
| Salt | to taste , ( be careful with the salt as cheese added might get the mix high on salt ) |
| Chilli flakes | to taste |
| Pepper | to taste |
| Cheese | 3 cubes grated |
Method for filling
- Mix all the ingredients together and set aside .
Ingredients for pastry
Ingredients | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Maida | 200 grams |
| Eggs | 2 lightly beaten |
| Olive oil | 1 tablespoon |
| Salt | to taste |
| Water | 2 teaspoons or more |
Method for pastry
- Mix all the ingredients together and knead well to get a smooth dough .
- Add water only if needed . Set aside covered for half an hour .
Ingredients for Sauce
Ingredients | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Olive oil | 1 tablespoon |
| Garlic | 4 crushed |
| Mushrooms | 1 packet sliced , ( I used 1 big capsicum cubed as I didn't have mushrooms in hand ) |
| Cheese | 1/2 cup grated |
| Pepper | to taste |
| Salt | to taste |
| Chilli flakes | to taste |
| Onion | 1 big chopped |
| Cream | 2 cups |
| Flour | 2 tablespoons |
| Dried herbs | 2 pinches each of rose Mary , dill , thyme and oregano |
| Milk | 3 to 4 cups |
Method for sauce
- Heat a non stick pan with olive oil . Add the crushed garlic and chopped onion. Fry to translucent .
- Top with mushroom ( or capsicum as I did ) . Sauté for 5 minutes . Lower the flame . Sprinkle the flour and keep stirring making sure no lumps are formed or the flour doesn’t get burnt .
- Add milk little by little and keep stirring constantly until you get a saucy consistency . Season with dried herbs , chilli flakes , pepper and cheese . Mix well . Taste and then add salt to taste .
- Finally add the cream and mix well . The sauce should be of a runny consistency sauce . Remove from flame and set aside .
Method for the ravioli
- Roll the dough on a flat surface ( your marble or granite kitchen counter would be good enough ) using flour as thin as possible .
- Use a cookie cutter or any round shaped cap to make as many circles as possible . Place 1 tablespoon of filling in the middle ( I topped the filling with mozzarella cheese as I didn’t add grated cheese to the filling ) wet the sides of the circle with the filling with water all around .
- Top with another circle and press the sides making sure they are stuck together well . ( You can press the sides with a fork to get a nice pattern , i didn’t do so as the raviolis i made had a pattern from the cookie cutter i used ) Place these filled ravioli’s in a floured tray .
- Follow and do the same till all the dough and filling is over . Boil 2 litters of water with salt . When water bubbles add 5 to 8 filled ravioli’s at a time and cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until the ravioli’s start to float on top .
- Remove and leave in a colander . Do the same with all the ravioli’s . Just before serving heat the sauce , if too thick can add more milk to the required consistency .
- Check seasoning .mix in the boiled ravioli and toss gently . Serve hot with grated cheese .
