Spinach Ravioli with Brown Butter & Sage Sauce

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Spinach Ravioli with Brown Butter & Sage Sauce

Made by Guest Cook (My Dad)

 

My parents came over for dinner the other night, and brought with them about 30 of these little guys, ready to cook. He provided me with his ravioli recipe and then we whipped up this impossibly delicious brown butter sauce together (read: I helped with my taste testing skills).

Raviolis

• 1 package frozen spinach, thawed
• 5 gloves minced garlic, sauteed
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 500 grams ricotta cheese
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 2 eggs
• a scape (or pinch) of nutmeg
• 3 egg pasta
• 2 1/4 cups AP flour
• 3 eggs
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lukewarm water

Butter Sauce

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/4 cup fresh sage leaves, chopped
• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

Directions: 

1. Make a well of measured flour and crack eggs into center. Break the yolks without disturbing the sides and add salt, olive oil and water.Whisk the eggs gently and incorporate some of the flour little by little. With your hands bring the flour from the outside of the well to the center and form a ball. If the ball is sticky, pick up with hands and mix further. Once dough feels soft and no longer sticky, knead for about 8-9 minutes until dough is smooth and shiny. Cover with tea towel and allow to rest for 15 minutes.
2. You can now roll out and create your raviolis. You may want to use a pasta machine to roll out your dough, or if you don't have one, use a rolling pin to roll out quite thin (1/8"). My dad used a press (which is why these look so annoyingly perfect) but since I don't have one, I general roll dough into long strips, lay one strip down, place tablespoons of filling(recipe to follow) about 2" apart, brush with an egg wash in a circle around filling and then top with second strip, trim and pinch to seal.
3. To create filling combine thawed frozen spinach, garlic, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, eggs and nutmeg in a bowl and season with salt and pepper.
4. Once raviolis are made (alternatively, you may decide to buy fresh raviolis- You can find them in the refrigerated pasta section of the grocery store) it's time to make the Brown Butter Sauce. Start by heating the butter in a heavy saucepan over medium high heat.
5. Meanwhile bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Add raviolis and cook for 6-7 minutes if fresh, or according to the package if store-bought.
6. Watch & stir the butter carefully as it starts to foam and then subsides. At this point it should start browning. Add your sage now and continue to stir. Once the butter reaches a caramel color you want to remove from heat. You want it to be browned not burnt. Drizzle over raviolis and top with toasted pine nuts.
7. It seems like a lot of work, but you can make the raviolis in advance and freeze, allowing you to create this meal in about 10 minutes!

Sweet Basil Pasta

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Sweet Basil Pasta

My favourite dish to make when CK surprises me with guests and I don't have any groceries in the house! Easy to make as little or as much as you need-- its a unique flavour profile, the sugar cuts the tomatoes well and the dried basil packs a delicious punch. If you're ambitious try with homemade farfalle. 

• 1 can diced tomatoes 
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cups farfalle (bowtie) pasta
• Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add farfalle pasta and cook until al dente (approximately 10 minutes) 
2. In the meantime, in a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant. Add diced tomatoes, dried basil and brown sugar and simmer to reduce (10-15 minutes)
3. Drain pasta and toss with tomato mixture, top with freshly grated parmesan. 

Pasta Carbonara

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Pasta Carbonara

This is a great and simple dinner recipe. Traditional versions have the raw egg added directly to the pasta as it's served-- but growing up my mom would have my dad fry it up a bit after and I love the texture it creates!

• 8 strips bacon
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup parmesan cheese
• 12 ounces spaghetti
• cracked black pepper & coarse salt

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente (approximately 10 minutes) 
2. Cook 8 strips of bacon in a pan until lightly crispy. Let cool and crumble into back bit sized pieces. Reserve.
3. In the meantime, combine eggs, parmesan cheese, cracked black pepper and coarse sea salt in a bowl. Reserve. 
4. When pasta is done, drain well and put back into pot over high heat. Add egg mixture and bacon and combine. Heat through for 1-2 minutes.
5. Top with extra parmesan and serve.

Italian Lasagna

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Italian Lasagna

Adapted from AllRecipes.com 

This recipe is adapted from Allrecipes' "World's Best Lasagna" and I tend to agree. It is a definite crowd pleaser. I even had my mom (much to my dad's displeasure) declare this her new favourite. Point one for the heir to the Lamb throne.  

• 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, removed from casings
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 3/4 cup minced onion
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
• 2 (6 oz) cans tomato paste
• 2 (6.5 oz) cans canned tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoon fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 12 lasagna noodles
• 16 ounces ricotta cheese
• 1 egg plus 1 yolk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 3/4 pound mozzarella cheese, sliced
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. In a Dutch oven, cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water. Lay flat and reserve. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with eggs, remaining parsley, nutmeg and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
4. To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with a third of mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray, or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

CK's Caprese Salad

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CK's Caprese Salad

This is quite possibly the simplest thing in the world to make. I almost feel as if i'm cheating by posting it as a recipe. However-- I couldn't resist letting you in on what is possibly my favourite snack of all time. Enjoy:)

• 3-4 roma tomatoes
• 6 bocconcini mozzarella balls
• a handful of basil leaves
• balsamic reduction
• olive oil (just a drizzle)
• Salt & Pepper

Directions:

1. Slice roma tomatoes  
2. Tear basil leaves and place on top of each tomato slice
3. Slice bocconcini mozzarella balls and place slice on top of each tomato
4. Drizzle olive oil and balsamic reduction over the whole shebang and top with salt and pepper.

Bruschetta on a Crostini

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Bruschetta on a Crostini

This Bruschetta is a great go to for a Tapas style dinner-- or what my family likes to call "A-little-bit-of-everything". It's also an impressive party hors d'oeuvre. On a Side Note: CK likes these with a thin slice of extra spicy salami placed under the tomato mixture-- it's quite tasty! 

• 7 roma tomatos
• 1 head of garlic
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt & Pepper (1/4 tsp ea.)
• 1 baguette
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
• 1/2 cup unripened goat cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. 
2. Slice baguette into 1-2 inch slices. Butter both sides and lay on baking sheet.
3. Bake for approximately 10 minutes, then flip and bake for an additional 5 (Please note: Since my oven was made sometime during WWII, cooking times may differ. Be diligent about checking the bottom of the Crostini, and when its golden brown, flip.
4. In the meantime, cut roma tomatoes in half and remove pulp and core. Chop into 1/2" pieces and place in large bowl.
5. Mince garlic and chop basil and add to bowl with tomatoes.
6. Drizzle balsamic vinegar and olive oil into bowl and add freshly ground black pepper and salt
7. Mix well, spread goat cheese on crostini and top with tomato mixture- voila!