You'll Have What We're Having: Soprano's Night

For some reason whenever we go all out with an Italian meal we feel compelled to use the vernacular of Tony and Carmela.  Red sauce = gravy, etc.  Anyways, one of the things I wanted to do before baby boy arrives in (hopefully) 2 or less weeks, was make ravioli again with the ravioli form I received for Christmas.  My last attempt was tasty, but the aforementioned form really helped with the "pillows" being uniform.  I also experimented with a sausage and beef filling which we both really liked.  M decided to take his bread making to a new level and make a "knock off" of a certain Italian chain restaurant's bread and dipping oil.  It was DELICIOUS.  Maybe next time we make this I won't be 9 months pregnant and can enjoy a big glass of Shiraz...

To see the dough rolling process, see here and here, for recipes click below...

Once the dough is rolled out into sheets, the form does all the work... lay a sheet of dough over form, press down pockets with other half of form.  Then fill each pocket with sausage/beef mixture.



Brush around edges with water to "seal" the pockets... Cover the pockets with another sheet of dough.  Take a rolling pin and roll on top of the ravioli starting from the center moving out, the form will then cut the pockets. Turn over and shake em' free.



Cooking it all up...



M's yummy bread...



and dipping sauce makings... (just add olive oil)



Our final product.  Tony & Carm would be proud.



Side note: When we ate the ravioli again for lunch on Sunday, we decided to just toss it with olive oil, dried basil, garlic powder, S&P, rosemary, thyme & Parmesan cheese (all to taste).  This was incredibly quick, and we both agreed we liked it better- you could taste more of the ravioli filling.

Click for recipes...



Ravioli Filling

Ingredients

• 2 T olive oil


• 1/2 yellow onion, diced


• 1 T minced garlic


• 1 lb Italian sausage


• 1 lb ground sirloin


• 1 tea paprika


• 1 T Italian seasoning


• 1 tea ground fennel


• crushed red pepper flakes to taste (caution: they go a long way)


• S&P


• 16 oz ricotta cheese


• 1 cup Parmesan


• 1 egg

Directions

• Brown the onion in the olive oil until turning translucent.  Add the garlic.


• Add both sausage and beef, break into very small pieces and cook through


• Add spices & seasonings, remove from heat. Drain & cool

In a food processor add:

• Ricotta cheese


• Parmesan cheese


• Egg


• Sausage/ground beef mixture


• Food process together until an almost paste consistency, refrigerate until ready to use. Can also be frozen.

Ravioli Dough (Thank you Tyler Florence)


One change I did make was that I put it all in my food processor to mix.  Once it has come together in a ball, kneed on floured surface for about 6 min.  Then let rest.

Just like Carrabba's Bread Recipe

Just like Carrabba's Dipping Oil Recipe

Simple Red Sauce

• 1/4 white onion, chopped


• 1 tea minced garlic (more if you want more...)


• 2 T olive oil


• 1 can diced tomatoes


• 6 oz tomato paste


• 1 T sugar


• 2 T Italian seasoning


• 1 tea salt


• Pepper


• note: season to taste...

Directions

• Brown onion in the olive oil, add garlic once onion is looking translucent


• Add tomatoes and tomato paste (note: if it's too thick, add water 1/4 cup at a time)


• Add sugar & seasonings to taste