FA+
Shop
248
Views
Views
10
Favorites
Favorites
Category
Photography / Tutorials
Species Unspecified / Any
Size 1280 x 722
File Size 259.7 kB
Report this content
More from TigerBread
Spinach Ricotta Ravioli with Stuffed Lamb Meatballs with Basil Marinara, from Scratch
((Have a bad week? Want to relieve some stress with some good old fashion cooking from scratch? Try this home made ravioli with meatballs stuffed with warm melty mozzarella))
**Medium Difficulty**Optional Alcoholic Ingredients**
Serves 2 to 4
For Spinach Ricotta Stuffing
6 oz raw Baby Spinach
1 cup Ricotta, soften
Salt & Pepper to taste
For Ravioli dough
2 cups All Purpose Flour
2 large Eggs
1 ½ tsp Salt
For Stuffed Meatballs
1 lbs ground Lamb
1 cup Panko (approx)
3 Tbsp fresh Basil, minced
1 Tbsp fresh Garlic, minced
1 large Egg
1 tsp fresh cracked Pepper
1 tsp Salt
1 cup Mozzarella, shredded
For Marinara
12 red round Tomatoes, blanched
1 red Bell Pepper, minced
2 Tbsp Butter
1 ½ Tbsp Garlic, minced
1 cup Red Onions, (approx half a large Red Onion) minced
¼ cup fresh Basil, Minced
¼ cup fresh Oregano, minced
1 tsp Fennel Seeds
5 cloves
3 Tbsp Red Wine
1 tsp Sugar
Salt & Pepper to taste
Garnish of extra Basil leaves, and fresh grated Parmesan.
1) Start by making the Meatballs. In a large bowl, add in all your ingredients for the Meatballs (Lamb, Panko, Basil, Garlic, Egg, Pepper, and Salt) except the shredded Mozzarella. Mix well with your hand; squeezing and kneading the meat as if it were dough. Next. with your hands, portion out and shape several large meatballs. Remember to firmly press the meat together so they don’t fall apart while cooking. Then stick your thumb into the middle of the Meatball and place a small portion of Mozzarella into the middle. Close off the Meatball and reroll them in your hands to make them nice and round. Be sure not to over stuff the Meatballs. You don’t want them to break.
2) In a pan with some olive oil set on medium heat, sear the Meatballs on all sides to seal the Meatballs. Then place them on a paper towel lined plate to drain. Set aside.
3) Next, bring a pot of water to a rolling boil and blanch the Tomatoes and Baby Spinach separately. It helps to remove the green stems or vines of the Tomatoes beforehand. You can also score the bottoms of the Tomatoes with a small X using your knife. Once Tomatoes are blanched, let cool, then remove the Tomatoes skins. Then finely dice Tomatoes. Set aside. Leave the Baby Spinach in a colander to drain and dry as well.
4) For the marinara, in a large Pot set on medium high heat, melt butter. When the butter is ready, place in Cloves and Fennel Seeds. Brown the spices lightly and then add in Garlic, red Bell Pepper, and Onions. Brown mixture lightly and then add in Red Wine to deglaze. Then add your diced Tomatoes, Oregano, and Basil; mix. Add in Sugar, and Salt & Pepper to taste. Reduce heat to low, gently place in your Meatballs, cover pot with a lid, and let the Tomato Sauce simmer as you prepare the other ingredients. Remember to stir the Marinara occasionally.
5) As your sauce simmers and the Meatballs cook, start making your stuffing for the Ravioli. In a large bowl, place in the drained Spinach from earlier, and the soften Ricotta cheese. Mix them together well and season with Salt & Pepper to your liking. Set aside.
6) To prepare the Ravioli dough, start by making a mound of flour on a clean food safe counter, or you can use a very large bowl like I did. Add in salt to the Flour and make a small nest for the cracked egg in the middle. Add one cracked egg and with your fingers, slowly incorporate the egg into the flour in a circular motion; be sure to break the egg yolk. Repeat with the other egg and roll into a nice ball. If the dough is too sticky, add a sprinkle of Flour until it’s right. If the dough is too dry, add a sprinkle of water. Knead the dough well for 1 to 3 min or until you feel the dough become stretchy.
7) Split the dough into four even portions then let rest for five min in the fridge. Remove 2 portions from the fridge and roll out 2 flat sheets of dough with your rolling pin. The sheets shouldn’t be too thick, or too thin. Place the Sheets on a baking pan and set them back into the fridge to chill, while removing the other 2 portions of dough to repeat the process. When they are done, chill the second 2 sheets in the fridge for five minutes to firm up.
8) When all four sheets are ready, remove the first pair of sheets of Ravioli dough and with the Spinach Ricotta mixture, portion out several little scoops and place them in four neat rows on one of the dough sheets. Remember to leave enough room in between each Spinach mixture portion so you can cut them nicely, and also be sure not to make the portions too big.
9) Brush some egg wash all around the Spinach mixture portions then place the second sheet of Dough over your first sheet. Don’t be afraid to use your fingers to press the Ravioli down. You want to seal them well so they don’t open while boiling. Set them back in the fridge, and repeat with the second pair of sheets.
10) When all the Ravioli are stuffed and chilled, with a Ravioli cutter, cut out the Ravioli. If you don’t have a fancy Ravioli cutter you can use a pizza cutter, or your paring knife. I like my Ravioli cutter because it makes pretty edges. Make sure to check them as you work to make sure they are sealed nicely. If a few of them aren’t sealed well, just brush on some more egg wash and use your fingers to press them down.
11) In a pot of boiling water, cook the Ravioli. Remember not to bring the water to a rolling boil, just a light boil. You don’t want the Ravioli to be knocked open by the moving water. Careful remove the Ravioli when the dough is cooked, and allow them to sit to drain. Drizzle some Olive Oil on them so they don’t stick together.
12) Check the Marinara Sauce, and the Meatballs. If everything is ready, your sauce should be fragrant, and your meatballs should be firm and cooked all the way through. You can adjust the flavor at this time as well. Place on a few Ravioli on a plate, pour over some Marinara sauce with some beautiful Lamb Meatballs, garnish with some fresh basil leaves and fresh grated parmesan, and enjoy your hard work.
Extra Info: This recipe will take you about 3 hours; possibly 4 hours. Sure you could buy a jar of tomato sauce, a pack of frozen meatballs, and a can of Ravioli, but that’s not the point of this recipe. This dish is for those who find a calming joy in cooking, and a relief of stress by being in front of the stove at home. This is for those who find the chopping of vegetables, and the slow simmer of a beautifully crafted sauce to be one of the world’s greatest simple pleasures. Like how the elderly ladies of Italy cook their dinners for their families.
As you can see, there isn’t a single use of an electric machine. No food processor, no blender, no automatic pasta rollers. The only tech we really need is a stove and a fridge. When I say from Scratch, I really mean it. Old Fashion grandmother style cooking.
This recipe was given to me by a very good friend of mine in Italy. His name was Marco. I was studying abroad in Florence at the time. We met in a fish market of all places. We wanted the same oysters, and the vendor only had 20 left. I needed them for the restaurant and he needed them for a party he was throwing. He was such a good looking man that I blurted out “Wow. He‘s so handsome” right in front of him. That’s when I found out he spoke English and understood every word. FML.
However, he wasn't offended. He only smiled at me, and went about checking me out. Was my luck changing? Had I found a hot, little Italian, Gay guy? It was Florence after all. I found myself lost in his eyes as we argued who would get the last Oysters. Luck wasn’t on my side because I found myself so lured in by those gorgeous Italian eyes, that I caved in and let him have the oysters. I was going to go back to my teacher empty handed. Marco probably felt guilty because he invited me over to the party he was going to make the oysters for. Thinking it wouldn’t hurt to take his offer since I didn’t know many people in Italy at the time, I agreed. We exchanged numbers and addresses.
So, the next day, I went to his house, but not before getting lost about three times. Which, in case you are wondering, Florence’s roads are crazy confusing x_x. I get there a little later than the time he told me and find out to my surprise, I’m the first one there. So, I help him cook for the next three hours, and one of the dishes I helped prepare was this Ravioli recipe I‘ve made for all of you.
I took some liberty in using Panko, and Thai Basil since it was available in my house at the time. It’s a delicious recipe. Simple flavors done right. I hope you do try this one out, if you are the type to enjoy cooking for the shear love of it. It’s definitely a romantic dish to make with your loved one. I definitely had a fun time with Marco making it. Sadly, him and I would only see each other two more times after that party. Once for coffee two weeks after, and one more time to say good bye before I left back for America a month later. It just wasn’t meant to be, but I wouldn’t change it for the world. I got to gaze into the eyes of a stunning Italian man for hours as he taught me a recipe his grandmother taught him. And I left that day with a recipe that would fill my heart, and my stomach for years to come. Happy eating everyone!
((Have a bad week? Want to relieve some stress with some good old fashion cooking from scratch? Try this home made ravioli with meatballs stuffed with warm melty mozzarella))
**Medium Difficulty**Optional Alcoholic Ingredients**
Serves 2 to 4
For Spinach Ricotta Stuffing
6 oz raw Baby Spinach
1 cup Ricotta, soften
Salt & Pepper to taste
For Ravioli dough
2 cups All Purpose Flour
2 large Eggs
1 ½ tsp Salt
For Stuffed Meatballs
1 lbs ground Lamb
1 cup Panko (approx)
3 Tbsp fresh Basil, minced
1 Tbsp fresh Garlic, minced
1 large Egg
1 tsp fresh cracked Pepper
1 tsp Salt
1 cup Mozzarella, shredded
For Marinara
12 red round Tomatoes, blanched
1 red Bell Pepper, minced
2 Tbsp Butter
1 ½ Tbsp Garlic, minced
1 cup Red Onions, (approx half a large Red Onion) minced
¼ cup fresh Basil, Minced
¼ cup fresh Oregano, minced
1 tsp Fennel Seeds
5 cloves
3 Tbsp Red Wine
1 tsp Sugar
Salt & Pepper to taste
Garnish of extra Basil leaves, and fresh grated Parmesan.
1) Start by making the Meatballs. In a large bowl, add in all your ingredients for the Meatballs (Lamb, Panko, Basil, Garlic, Egg, Pepper, and Salt) except the shredded Mozzarella. Mix well with your hand; squeezing and kneading the meat as if it were dough. Next. with your hands, portion out and shape several large meatballs. Remember to firmly press the meat together so they don’t fall apart while cooking. Then stick your thumb into the middle of the Meatball and place a small portion of Mozzarella into the middle. Close off the Meatball and reroll them in your hands to make them nice and round. Be sure not to over stuff the Meatballs. You don’t want them to break.
2) In a pan with some olive oil set on medium heat, sear the Meatballs on all sides to seal the Meatballs. Then place them on a paper towel lined plate to drain. Set aside.
3) Next, bring a pot of water to a rolling boil and blanch the Tomatoes and Baby Spinach separately. It helps to remove the green stems or vines of the Tomatoes beforehand. You can also score the bottoms of the Tomatoes with a small X using your knife. Once Tomatoes are blanched, let cool, then remove the Tomatoes skins. Then finely dice Tomatoes. Set aside. Leave the Baby Spinach in a colander to drain and dry as well.
4) For the marinara, in a large Pot set on medium high heat, melt butter. When the butter is ready, place in Cloves and Fennel Seeds. Brown the spices lightly and then add in Garlic, red Bell Pepper, and Onions. Brown mixture lightly and then add in Red Wine to deglaze. Then add your diced Tomatoes, Oregano, and Basil; mix. Add in Sugar, and Salt & Pepper to taste. Reduce heat to low, gently place in your Meatballs, cover pot with a lid, and let the Tomato Sauce simmer as you prepare the other ingredients. Remember to stir the Marinara occasionally.
5) As your sauce simmers and the Meatballs cook, start making your stuffing for the Ravioli. In a large bowl, place in the drained Spinach from earlier, and the soften Ricotta cheese. Mix them together well and season with Salt & Pepper to your liking. Set aside.
6) To prepare the Ravioli dough, start by making a mound of flour on a clean food safe counter, or you can use a very large bowl like I did. Add in salt to the Flour and make a small nest for the cracked egg in the middle. Add one cracked egg and with your fingers, slowly incorporate the egg into the flour in a circular motion; be sure to break the egg yolk. Repeat with the other egg and roll into a nice ball. If the dough is too sticky, add a sprinkle of Flour until it’s right. If the dough is too dry, add a sprinkle of water. Knead the dough well for 1 to 3 min or until you feel the dough become stretchy.
7) Split the dough into four even portions then let rest for five min in the fridge. Remove 2 portions from the fridge and roll out 2 flat sheets of dough with your rolling pin. The sheets shouldn’t be too thick, or too thin. Place the Sheets on a baking pan and set them back into the fridge to chill, while removing the other 2 portions of dough to repeat the process. When they are done, chill the second 2 sheets in the fridge for five minutes to firm up.
8) When all four sheets are ready, remove the first pair of sheets of Ravioli dough and with the Spinach Ricotta mixture, portion out several little scoops and place them in four neat rows on one of the dough sheets. Remember to leave enough room in between each Spinach mixture portion so you can cut them nicely, and also be sure not to make the portions too big.
9) Brush some egg wash all around the Spinach mixture portions then place the second sheet of Dough over your first sheet. Don’t be afraid to use your fingers to press the Ravioli down. You want to seal them well so they don’t open while boiling. Set them back in the fridge, and repeat with the second pair of sheets.
10) When all the Ravioli are stuffed and chilled, with a Ravioli cutter, cut out the Ravioli. If you don’t have a fancy Ravioli cutter you can use a pizza cutter, or your paring knife. I like my Ravioli cutter because it makes pretty edges. Make sure to check them as you work to make sure they are sealed nicely. If a few of them aren’t sealed well, just brush on some more egg wash and use your fingers to press them down.
11) In a pot of boiling water, cook the Ravioli. Remember not to bring the water to a rolling boil, just a light boil. You don’t want the Ravioli to be knocked open by the moving water. Careful remove the Ravioli when the dough is cooked, and allow them to sit to drain. Drizzle some Olive Oil on them so they don’t stick together.
12) Check the Marinara Sauce, and the Meatballs. If everything is ready, your sauce should be fragrant, and your meatballs should be firm and cooked all the way through. You can adjust the flavor at this time as well. Place on a few Ravioli on a plate, pour over some Marinara sauce with some beautiful Lamb Meatballs, garnish with some fresh basil leaves and fresh grated parmesan, and enjoy your hard work.
Extra Info: This recipe will take you about 3 hours; possibly 4 hours. Sure you could buy a jar of tomato sauce, a pack of frozen meatballs, and a can of Ravioli, but that’s not the point of this recipe. This dish is for those who find a calming joy in cooking, and a relief of stress by being in front of the stove at home. This is for those who find the chopping of vegetables, and the slow simmer of a beautifully crafted sauce to be one of the world’s greatest simple pleasures. Like how the elderly ladies of Italy cook their dinners for their families.
As you can see, there isn’t a single use of an electric machine. No food processor, no blender, no automatic pasta rollers. The only tech we really need is a stove and a fridge. When I say from Scratch, I really mean it. Old Fashion grandmother style cooking.
This recipe was given to me by a very good friend of mine in Italy. His name was Marco. I was studying abroad in Florence at the time. We met in a fish market of all places. We wanted the same oysters, and the vendor only had 20 left. I needed them for the restaurant and he needed them for a party he was throwing. He was such a good looking man that I blurted out “Wow. He‘s so handsome” right in front of him. That’s when I found out he spoke English and understood every word. FML.
However, he wasn't offended. He only smiled at me, and went about checking me out. Was my luck changing? Had I found a hot, little Italian, Gay guy? It was Florence after all. I found myself lost in his eyes as we argued who would get the last Oysters. Luck wasn’t on my side because I found myself so lured in by those gorgeous Italian eyes, that I caved in and let him have the oysters. I was going to go back to my teacher empty handed. Marco probably felt guilty because he invited me over to the party he was going to make the oysters for. Thinking it wouldn’t hurt to take his offer since I didn’t know many people in Italy at the time, I agreed. We exchanged numbers and addresses.
So, the next day, I went to his house, but not before getting lost about three times. Which, in case you are wondering, Florence’s roads are crazy confusing x_x. I get there a little later than the time he told me and find out to my surprise, I’m the first one there. So, I help him cook for the next three hours, and one of the dishes I helped prepare was this Ravioli recipe I‘ve made for all of you.
I took some liberty in using Panko, and Thai Basil since it was available in my house at the time. It’s a delicious recipe. Simple flavors done right. I hope you do try this one out, if you are the type to enjoy cooking for the shear love of it. It’s definitely a romantic dish to make with your loved one. I definitely had a fun time with Marco making it. Sadly, him and I would only see each other two more times after that party. Once for coffee two weeks after, and one more time to say good bye before I left back for America a month later. It just wasn’t meant to be, but I wouldn’t change it for the world. I got to gaze into the eyes of a stunning Italian man for hours as he taught me a recipe his grandmother taught him. And I left that day with a recipe that would fill my heart, and my stomach for years to come. Happy eating everyone!
Category Photography / Tutorials
Species Unspecified / Any
Size 1280 x 722px
File Size 259.7 kB
Comments