Ravioli Broccoletti Recipes

Steps:

• For the filling: Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over medium heat. Set a bowl of well-salted ice water on the counter. Add the broccoli rabe and cook for 1 minute. Remove the broccoli rabe from the boiling water and plunge it immediately into the salted ice water. Reserve the boiling water to cook the pasta. Once the broccoli rabe has cooled, remove it from the ice water and squeeze out any excess water.
• Finely chop the broccoli rabe (the food processor works really well here) and put it in a large mixing bowl. Add the ricotta, Parmigiano and eggs and sprinkle with salt. Adjust seasoning if needed. Put the filling in a pastry bag and reserve.
• For the pasta: Set the pasta roller on the widest setting (#1). Start with half the pasta dough; keep the other half covered until ready to use. Using your hands, flatten the dough as much as you can to facilitate it going through the pasta roller. Run the dough through the roller, twice dusting it in between rolls if it feels sticky. Fold the dough into thirds and turn it 90 degrees (a quarter turn) and run it through the pasta machine 2 to 3 times. Move the roller to the next setting (#2) and run the pasta through. Dust lightly with flour if the dough feels sticky. Continue to run the dough through the machine reducing the opening (or moving the setting to the next larger number) in between every roll. Stop when you get to the correct thinness, this will usually be around number 5 or 6 on the dial, but every machine is different, you will have to be the judge of your own pasta thickness.
• To assemble the ravioli: Lay out the dough on a flat surface. Brush the lower half of the dough (the part that is closest to you) lightly with water. This is the glue that will hold the ravioli together. Use the glue sparingly, if you use too much the pasta will slide and not stick. Pipe 1-inch balls of filling onto the pasta that has been brushed with water, leaving about 2 inches between each ball. Fold the top half of the pasta down over the filling to meet the bottom edge. Using your index fingers, poke around each filling ball to seal the ravioli shut, AND to make sure that there are no air bubbles. Using a fluted round cutter or a fluted pastry wheel or even a drinking glass, cut out each ravioli. Transfer to a sheet tray dusted with semolina or polenta and reserve until ready to use.
• To cook the ravioli and make the sauce: Add the butter to a large saute pan and bring to a medium heat. Add 1 cup of chicken stock and season with salt. Shake the pan to incorporate the butter and stock, and simmer until the stock has reduced a bit and the sauce looks velvety and is the consistency of heavy cream. If the sauce thickens too much, adjust the consistency with chicken stock.
• Add the ravioli to the pot of boiling water and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Carefully remove the ravioli from the cooking water and put them immediately into the sauce. Bring the sauce to a boil, shaking frequently to be sure that the ravioli don'(TM)t stick to the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the Parmigiano and swirl to combine the cheese with the sauce.
• Transfer the ravioli to a serving platter and sprinkle with a little more grated Parmesan. Garnish with chopped pistachios and serve. Mangia Bene!
• Put the flour on a clean, dry work surface. Make a hole (this is also called a well) in the center of the flour pile that is about 8 inches wide (bigger is definitely better here). Crack all of the eggs and the yolk into the hole and add the olive oil, salt and water.
• Using a fork, beat the eggs together with the olive oil, salt and water. Using the fork, begin to incorporate the flour into the egg mixture; be careful not to break the sides of the well or the egg mixture will run all over your board and you will have a big mess! Also, don't worry about the lumps. When enough flour has been incorporated into the egg mixture that it will not run all over the place when the sides of the well are broken, begin to use your hands to really get everything well combined. If the mixture is tight and dry, wet your hands and begin kneading with wet hands. When the mixture has really come together to a homogeneous mixture, THEN you can start kneading.
• When kneading it is VERY important to put your body weight into it, get on top of the dough to really stretch it and not tear the dough. Using the heels of your palms, roll the dough to create a very smooooooth, supple dough. When done, the dough should look VERY smooth and feel almost velvety. Kneading will usually take from 8 to 10 minutes for an experienced kneader and 10 to 15 for an inexperienced kneader. Put your body weight into it, you need to knead! This is where the perfect, toothsome texture of your pasta is formed. Get in there and have fun!
• When the pasta has been kneaded to the perfect consistency, wrap it in plastic and let rest for at least 1 hour. If using immediately do not refrigerate.
• Roll and cut the pasta into desired shape. How smooth and supple!

Steps:

• Fill a large skillet with 1 to 2 inches of water and bring to a boil; add broccolini and cook until bright green, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer broccolini to a strainer and drain water from skillet.
• Heat olive oil in the same skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir garlic in the hot oil until golden and fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Return broccolini to frying pan using tongs; cook and stir until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Squeeze lemon juice over broccoli and season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.

Steps:

• Cook ravioli according to package instructions. Drain, reserving one cup of cooking water. Meanwhile, melt butter with olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and sauté until golden, about 3 minutes. Add broccoletti, seasonings and reserved cooking water to skillet; bring to a boil. Cover and cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat; cook another 5 minutes, or until liquid evaporates and broccoletti is tender. Stir in lemon zest. Add ravioli to skillet; stir gently to coat well with butter mixture. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese before serving. Tip: Grow a pizza garden! Create a round garden sectioned into wedges. Plant basil, oregano, parsley and other fragrant herbs...add some tomatoes, peppers or other favorite pizza toppings. A terrific way to get kids interested in fresh foods!

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Cook ravioli according to package directions. Keep warm. (After they're cooked, you can brown them in some oil to give them some color, if desired).
• Heat oil in large skillet over Medium-High heat.
• Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
• Add broccoli, mushrooms, red peppers and yellow peppers. Cook and stir for 5 minutes or until peppers are starting to get tender.
• Add ravioli and half the jar of Alfredo sauce. Stir to combine.
• Dump the entire mixture into a glass baking dish.
• Pour the rest of the Alfredo sauce over the ravioli mixture and spread it around to cover.
• Sprinkle the Parmesan (or Mozzarella) over the casserole.
• Bake 20-25 minutes or until cheese melts.
• If you want to brown the cheese, turn the oven to Broil and broil the casserole for 5 minutes. Make sure you watch it so the cheese doesn't burn.