Spinach & Goat cheese Ravioli

Hey Foodies,

I felt like I just disappeared off the face of the earth, I’ve trying to balance working and blogging but it’s hard; My first 15 days at the internship have been intense, waking up each day at 6 am and having to make lunch and catch the train at 7:20 is pretty tiring… If you were following my instagram story then you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about. Of course, the train is always late and it feels like we’re stuffed into a burning oven…I’ve been wondering if this train situation is the same in other countries? I’m dying to know! They say that japan is the best when it comes to sticking train schedule.

Anyway let’s switch to cooking, last weekend I tried to go for a new thing! YES, I’ve been brave enough to jump into the ocean of Italian cuisine…  What I like about Italians (other than the hand gesture and their accent) is that they believe in simplicity and respect good fresh products, so some of the most beloved dishes of Italians comprise just a few simple ingredients. Homemade Ravioli are one of the easiest dishes to make; ! You just need to know where to start.

 

Do it like the old times, my aunt always tells me that there’s no end to what you can achieve with zero equipment; No need for a ravioli machine nor a pasta maker! Flour, eggs, olive oil and some herbs are your friendly ingredients for a perfect ravioli dough. As for the filling, be creative and use any type of filling or sauces you like, afterall, the filling is the real reason we want to eat ravioli! Just make sure that it’s not gonna wet the dough…We had spinach leftovers at the fridge and some goat cheese, so my choice of filling was pretty normal!

Making Ravioli can be easy, but it also needs a certain technique that you can develop with time. It’s all about the fillings, the sauces and the shapes. Don’t worry if the frst time turns out to be a mess, remember that failures are just the start of success!

These delicate pasta pillows stuffed with goodness can turn you into a chef! Trust me I first tested them at a family gathering; they were so good that I barely had my share… Eventually, I couldn’t take any picture since everyone was rushing to eat it. After the first major success, I had to cook it again and share with you the recipe!

Before starting to cook; Always remember that:

• You need to make sure your dough is thin!
• A perfect ravioli dough will bend and expand without cracking or ripping;
• Watery fillings are to avoid! They can make your dough too sticky to handle;
• You don’t need an equipment to cook? Just improvise with whatever happens to be in your kitchen.

Ingredients: 

For the dough:

• 3 2/3 cups flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1tbs Thyme
• pinch of salt

For the filling: 

• Spinach
• 1 egg
• Goat cheese
• Salt & pepper
• nutmeg
• Lemon zest

Instructions:

1. First, mound the flour and fresh thyme and create a wheel in the center where you’ll place the eggs and olive oil. whisk the eggs and oil and then gently knead by hand all the ingredients until having a smooth dough.
2. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest for at least 30 min.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the filling by combining all the ingredients. Use as much filling as you like!
4.  Working with one small piece of dough at a time, lay pasta sheet on a lightly floured surface( so it won’t stick);
5. Brush one half of the dough with flour and water mixture, then spoon the filling on the wet side of the dough; Remember to leave some space between the mounds. Now cover the filling with the dry side of the dough and press pasta sheets together and seal the edges around the mounds.
6. The shaping part is the most enjoyable part! A cutter or rolling slicer are the best, but really, you can use whatever gets the job done. A knife, a glass or a cookie cutter for example!
7.  Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, add the raviolis… They are finished cooking when they float to the top. Overcooking will cause your ravioli to break and leak filling.
8. Drain the raviolis and transfer them to a pan where you’ll gently cook them in a garlicky olive oil sauce or maybe tomato sauce or white sauce …