Spinach Cheese Ravioli

10/25/2005

For fresh pasta dough:

1 pound flour (about 4 cups)

6 large eggs

Pinch of salt

1/4 cup water

For wild mushroom sauce:

8 ounces (1 cup) dried wild mushrooms

1/8 cup olive oil

1/8 cup garlic

1/8 cup white wine

1/2 cup vegetable stock

1/4 cup heavy cream

Salt and pepper to taste

For spinach filling:

3/4 cup sauteed spinach

3/4 cup ricotta cheese

To make fresh pasta dough: Mound flour into a hill on countertop and create a hole in the middle. Break eggs into hole and add salt and water. Using fingertips, work eggs into flour from outer walls of mound and continue mixing to form a ball. Knead until smooth and silky, about 10 minutes, adding flour as needed to prevent the dough from getting sticky. Divide dough in half and roll each into a ball, press into a flat disk. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

To make wild mushroom sauce: Soak mushrooms in 1/4 cup hot water for 3 minutes. Heat oil in pan. Add mushrooms (with water) and garlic and cook until garlic is soft. Add wine, vegetable stock, and heavy cream, reduce heat, and cook two to three minutes, adding salt and pepper as needed.

To make spinach filling: Combine sauteed spinach and ricotta cheese and chill.

To assemble ravioli: Roll fresh pasta dough into a long, thin strip, and pass the dough through a pasta machine's rollers, moving the dial 1 notch narrower after each pass to level 6 and lightly flouring the dough if needed. Divide into sections for ravioli. Place a tablespoon of spinach filling three inches apart along half of the long strip of pasta. Brush dough with egg wash (mix 1 egg plus 2 tablespoons water) to hold top and bottom dough together. Fold pasta strip over, gently pressing the top and bottom dough where the egg wash was painted. Using a special two-part biscuit cutter or similar ravioli form, make raviolis, sealing the edges by pinching with fingers to get all of the air out. Cook for 2 minutes in boiling salted water until pasta rises to the top. Remove from water with a slotted spoon and serve topped with wild mushroom sauce.

Yield: 8 servings

Source: Chef David DuFresne, Pinnacle, Maumee

For fresh semolina pasta:

12 egg yolks

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups semolina (durum wheat)

1 cup cake flour

3 tablespoons cool water

To make fresh seminola pasta: In a mixer with a dough hook attachment, add egg yolks. Then gradually add the salt and flours, mixing until coarse like pastry. Gradually add 3 tablespoons of cool water until the mixture balls up. Mix 8 minutes. Let it rest 15 minutes.

Using all-purpose flour, pat and fold dough into quarters and roll pasta dough through pasta machine rollers, until you reach level 6 (1/8-inch thick), which is thickness for fettuccine. If dough gets damp, add more flour. When it is 4 feet long, switch to die cutter and cut into fettuccine.

For Shrimp and Scallops Red Sauce:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 pound 16-to-20-count uncooked shrimp, shelled and deveined

1/2 pound bay scallops

2 tablespoons white wine

1/2 cup chicken stock

1 1/2 cups tomato (marinara) sauce

8 ounces fresh crab meat

2 cups baby spinach, loosely packed

1 teaspoon butter

To make Shrimp and Scallops Red Sauce: In a saute pan, heat olive oil over medium heat; add garlic, red pepper, salt, shrimp, and bay scallops to olive oil. Cook 2 or 3 minutes, add white wine, chicken stock, tomato sauce, crab meat, and spinach. Cook 2 more minutes.

To assemble pasta and sauce: Cook fresh pasta in boiling salted water for 1 minute. Drain and set aside.

Add cooked and drained pasta to sauce. Top with 1 teaspoon butter. Check for seasoning and serve.

Yield: 4 servings

Source: Chef Tim Coonan, Hathaway House, Blissfield

For the sauce:

6 cups tomatoes, 1/2-inch diced

2 teaspoons garlic, minced

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper, ground

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

For the pasta

1 pound orecchiette (little ears) pasta

1 bunch (4 to 6 cups arugula or spinach, washed and dried

3 tablespoons ricotta salata cheese, crumbled (if not available, used grated Parmesan)

To make the sauce: Combine tomatoes, garlic, salt, pepper, and olive oil and saute for 5 minutes. Refrigerate until needed.

To make the pasta: Prepare pasta according to package directions. When hot, drain pasta, then immediately toss with reheated tomato sauce and arugula. Arugula should be just wilted. Sprinkle with cheese and serve.

Yield: 6 servings

For the cookies:

1 1/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup butter or margarine, softened

2 eggs

2 tablespoons milk

2 1/2 cups oats (quick or old-fashioned,

uncooked)

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt, optional

Flat wooden ice cream sticks

For the decorations:

Prepared vanilla frosting or decorator frosting in tubes

Assorted candies (candy corn, chocolate chips, candy-coated

chocolate pieces)

In large bowl, beat sugar and margarine until creamy. Add eggs and milk; beat well. Add combined oats, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Mix well, cover, and chill about 2 hours.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Shape dough into 1 1/2-inch-diameter balls. Place 3 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Insert flat wooden stick into side of each ball of dough. Using bottom of glass dipped in sugar, flatten to form 2 3/4-inch-diameter circles.

Bake 14 to 16 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet; remove to wire racks. Cool completely.

Decorate as desired with frosting and candies.

Yield: 2 to 2 1/2 dozen