Ravioli class

Yesterday I went to a ravioli-making class with my friend Jackie, who is very Italian and very into pasta.  It was a Groupon I had bought some months ago and I thought it was a nice way to thank Jackie for watching the bunny so much recently.


The class was taught by Chef Lucia, a lovely Italian woman, at Piatti Pronti, a little catering shop in Arlington Heights.  She showed us how to make the ravioli dough, then allowed us to make our dough and fill it with pre-made fillings. I think Jackie and I did a good job on our raviolis, and I had a little feather in my cap when Chef Lucia saw the raviolis I had made on my tray.


Lucia: "Who's Valerie?!"
me: [raises hand meekly]
Lucia: "Show-off."


I was proud of how my little pasta pillows turned out:

We got to taste some of Chef Lucia's, which were delicious, and overall I think they took a lot less time than I thought they would.  


Here's Chef Lucia's recipe for the dough:

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tbsp. salt
• 1 egg yolk, slightly beaten
• 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp. lukewarm water
• 1 cup flour (you can do 3/4 cup all-purpose and 1/4 double zero, or 1/2 whole wheat and 1/2 all-purpose)

Directions:

1. Make a well with the flour big enough for the liquid ingredients.  (The size of a small dinner plate - bigger than you think you need.)
2. Combine oil, salt, egg yolk, and water.  Pour into well.
3. Beat with fork and slowly pull the flour off of the sides.  When you have a paste, pull all the flour in and begin kneading first with your fingers, then your full hands.  
4. When it is less floury, the egg has started to absorb the flour and you can wrap in plastic wrap to rest for 30 min.
5. Roll dough on to a flat sheet.  Drop filling by the teaspoon onto the dough, starting with one row at the edge.  Fold dough over, press between each ravioli (karate chop!) and cut into square pockets with a pizza cutter.  Pinch sides with fork.
6. Cook in boiling water until they come to the top (about 2 min.).  

The suggested fillings are a cheese mixture, a sausage mixture, and a butternut squash mixture.  If anyone wants these recipes, you can e-mail me or leave a comment.

She showed us how to do other ways to design the ravioli, but I stuck with the regular one.  The tortellini method looked insane, and I'd had a glass of wine, so I opted not to risk it.

It sounds like a lot of work, but it really doesn't take much time.  You can also use this pasta dough for making other kinds of pasta, like fettucini or pappardelle.  Jackie and I vowed that we'd be using my pasta maker to have a pasta party this summer and fall.  Thanks to Chef Lucia for great food and recipes, and a lovely evening!