John Miller
Mushroom ravioli is a type of pasta dish that can be made at home or bought from the store. Homemade mushroom ravioli is made by creating a dough from flour, salt, and eggs, which is then filled with a mushroom mixture and cooked in salted water. The mushroom filling typically includes mushrooms, shallots, garlic, ricotta, and parmesan, and can be made in advance. The ravioli can be served with a variety of sauces, such as brown butter, creamy mushroom, or parmesan cream sauce. It can also be combined with other ingredients such as spinach, steak, or sun-dried tomatoes. Overall, mushroom ravioli is a versatile and flavorful dish that can be adapted to suit different tastes and occasions.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type | Stuffed pasta |
| Ingredients | Mushrooms, flour, eggs, butter, onion, garlic, oregano, parsley, cream, mascarpone, parmesan cheese, ricotta cheese, salt, pepper, thyme, nutmeg, olive oil, dry marsala wine, baby bella mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, white button mushrooms, chestnut mushrooms (crimini), shallots |
| Tools | Pasta machine, pasta crimper, ravioli stamp, food processor, ravioli cutter (fluted pastry wheel), knife |
| Filling | Should be soft and almost mousse or pate-like |
| Cooking method | Boil in salted water, fry, bake |
| Serving suggestion | Top with parmesan cheese, butter sauce, or creamy mushroom sauce |
| Storage | Can be frozen for up to 6 months |
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What You'll Learn
Making the dough
Preparing the Ingredients and Mixing:
Start by gathering your ingredients: flour, salt, and eggs. The type of flour is important; "00" flour, also known as "doppio zero" flour, is ideal for making fresh homemade pasta dough due to its fine consistency. However, regular all-purpose flour will also work. On a flat surface, create a well in the middle of the flour and salt mixture and add the eggs. Using your fingers or a fork, slowly mix the eggs with the flour and salt until a smooth dough forms.
Resting the Dough:
Once you have a smooth dough, it's time to let it rest. Cover the dough with a clean tea towel or plastic wrap and let it rest for about an hour at room temperature. This resting period is crucial, as it allows the gluten in the flour to relax, making the dough easier to roll out and work with.
Cutting and Rolling the Dough:
After the dough has rested, it's time to cut and roll it. Cut the dough into 3-4 parts; this will make it more manageable to work with. Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin to prevent sticking. Start rolling out each piece of dough, turning and flipping it as you go to ensure even thickness. Aim for a thickness of around 0.30-0.40 mm, which is very thin and delicate. If you're using a pasta machine, feed the dough through the machine until it reaches the desired thickness.
Preparing for Filling:
Now that your dough is rolled out, you're almost ready to fill your ravioli. Sprinkle the dough with a light coating of flour or semolina to prevent sticking. Cut the dough into even squares or desired shapes using a pastry crimper, ravioli stamp, or a simple ravioli cutter (fluted pastry wheel). You can also use a knife to cut out the shapes if you don't have specialized tools. Remember to work efficiently, as the dough can dry out quickly, making it harder to work with.
Filling and Sealing:
With your dough shapes ready, it's time to fill and seal your ravioli. Place a dollop of your prepared mushroom filling (a mixture of mushrooms, cheese, and herbs) in the centre of each shape. Be careful not to overfill, as this can cause the ravioli to burst during cooking. You can use the "sandwich" method, where you place another dough shape on top and seal the edges, or the "fold-over" method, where you fold the dough over the filling and seal. Use a ravioli crimper or your fingers to firmly seal the edges, ensuring no filling escapes during cooking.
Creating the perfect dough for mushroom ravioli is a delicate process that requires attention to detail and a gentle touch. Take your time, and you'll be rewarded with delicious, tender ravioli pillows ready to be boiled and enjoyed!
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Rolling the dough
When rolling the dough, it is important to ensure that the surface is lightly sprinkled with flour or semolina to prevent the pasta from sticking. The dough should be rolled out into thin sheets, approximately 0.30 mm to 0.40 mm thick. Thicker dough, such as 0.40 mm, may be easier to work with if you are a beginner. However, thinner dough, such as 0.30 mm, will result in more delicate ravioli.
It is also essential to let the dough rest before rolling it out. This allows the gluten in the flour to relax, making the dough easier to roll and helping to prevent shrinkage during cooking. The recommended resting time varies, with some recipes suggesting 1 hour, while others advise letting the dough rest until it feels firm.
Once the dough has rested, it can be cut into 3-4 parts and rolled out slightly before being fed into a pasta machine, if using one. The dough should be rolled until it is very thin and evenly flattened. If using a rolling pin, the dough will need to be turned and flipped frequently to ensure even thickness.
After rolling, the dough is ready to be cut and filled with the mushroom mixture. However, it is important to work with one piece of dough at a time, keeping the remaining dough covered to prevent drying. The rolled-out dough should be sprinkled with flour or semolina to create a non-stick surface, making it easier to work with and preventing the ravioli from sticking together during cooking.
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Preparing the filling
Sauté the Vegetables
Firstly, heat some olive oil in a pan. Finely chop your choice of shallots, onions, or a combination of both, and sauté until soft and translucent. You can also add some garlic at this stage for extra flavour.
Cook the Mushrooms
Next, add your chosen mushrooms. Chestnut mushrooms (crimini) are a good option for their nutty flavour, or you could use a combination of fresh brown mushrooms and dried porcini mushrooms for a more intense, almost meaty taste. Cook the mushrooms until they are softened and reduced in size. Season with salt and pepper, and add herbs such as thyme, oregano, or parsley for extra flavour.
Blend the Mixture
Remove the mixture from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes. Then, add it to a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. You can add some ricotta cheese at this stage to ensure the filling isn't too heavy.
Add the Cheese
Return the blended mixture to the pan and add your choice of creamy cheese. You can use mascarpone, whipped ricotta, cream cheese, cream fraiche, or sour cream. Heat this mixture gently, stirring to combine, and then remove it from the heat.
Season and Cool
Finally, season the filling with salt and pepper to taste, and let it cool completely before using it to fill your ravioli.
Your mushroom ravioli filling is now ready to use! Remember to chill the filling before filling your ravioli to ensure the best results and prevent soggy pasta.
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Assembling the ravioli
Prepare the Filling
Before assembling, prepare your mushroom filling. The filling should be soft, almost mousse-like or pate-like in consistency, and not overly wet. You can make the filling in advance and chill it until you're ready to assemble. This filling can be made with a variety of mushrooms, shallots or onions, garlic, herbs, and cheeses like ricotta, mascarpone, and Parmesan.
Roll Out the Pasta Dough
Clear a large, clutter-free work surface to roll out your pasta dough. It's important to roll the dough thinly and evenly, aiming for a thickness of around 0.30-0.40 mm. You can use a pasta machine or a long, thin rolling pin to achieve the desired thickness. Remember to sprinkle your work surface and dough with flour or semolina to prevent sticking.
Cut the Dough
Once your dough is rolled out, it's time to cut it into individual ravioli pieces. You can use a ravioli stamp, cutter, or a simple fluted pastry wheel to cut out the ravioli. Alternatively, use a knife to cut the dough into even squares or rectangles.
Fill and Seal the Ravioli
There are a few methods for filling and sealing ravioli:
- The "Sandwich" Method: Place dollops of filling down the center of a pasta sheet. Top with another pasta sheet, smooth out any air, and then cut to size.
- The "Fold-Over" Method: Fold a pasta sheet in half horizontally to create a light crease, then unfold. Below the crease, place rounded teaspoons of filling spaced 2 finger-widths apart. Fold the pasta sheet over to encase the filling.
- The Traditional Method: Cut the dough into squares or rectangles. Place a portion of filling in the center of each piece. Place another square or rectangle of dough on top. Use a pastry crimper or your fingers to seal the edges, ensuring no filling escapes.
Freeze or Cook
Once your ravioli are assembled, you can choose to freeze them for later or cook them immediately. If freezing, place them in an airtight container or bag and store them in the freezer for up to 6 months. To cook fresh ravioli, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the ravioli for around 4 minutes or until al dente.
Assembling mushroom ravioli can be a fun and rewarding project. With a bit of preparation and patience, you'll be able to create delicious, perfectly-sealed ravioli.
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Cooking the ravioli
There are a few ways to cook your mushroom ravioli, depending on whether you're cooking from fresh or frozen, and whether you're cooking the ravioli alone or with a sauce.
If you're cooking from frozen, simply add the frozen ravioli to a pot of boiling salted water. You don't need to thaw them first.
If you're cooking fresh ravioli, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the ravioli for around 4 minutes. You can cook without sauce, or "al dente", according to the package directions.
If you want to cook your ravioli with a sauce, there are a few options. You can heat olive oil in a pan, add shallots and cook until soft, then add mushrooms and cook until softened. Add garlic, thyme, salt and pepper and fry for 1-2 minutes. Add the cooked ravioli, a couple of tablespoons of pasta water and toss to cover and sauté. Serve immediately with freshly grated parmesan.
Alternatively, you can heat olive oil in a pan, add chopped garlic and fry for 1 minute. Then, add cream, thyme, nutmeg, salt and pepper and stir. Bring to a boil for 30-40 seconds, then turn down the heat and add grated parmesan. Add the cooked ravioli and toss in the sauce before serving.
You can also cook your ravioli with spinach. Sauté mushrooms and spinach with garlic and sun-dried tomatoes, add cooked ravioli, olive oil and stir. Season with salt and pepper and reheat gently on a medium-low heat.
If you're looking for a quick option, you can cook your ravioli with a simple butter sauce. Heat butter in a pan, add the ravioli and a couple of tablespoons of pasta water, and toss to cover and sauté.
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Frequently asked questions
Mushroom ravioli is a type of pasta where a rich, creamy mushroom filling is encased in homemade egg pasta.
The ingredients for the pasta are flour, eggs, and salt. The ingredients for the mushroom filling are mushrooms, ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, mascarpone, dry marsala wine, butter, onion, garlic, oregano, and parsley.
First, mix flour and salt on a flat surface and create a well in the middle. Add eggs and slowly mix to form a smooth dough. Cut the dough into parts, roll it out, and cut into squares using a pastry crimper. For the filling, cook butter, mushrooms, onion, and garlic in a pan. Add oregano and parsley, and remove some of the mixtures to blend until creamy. Place the mixture back in the pan, add flour, cream, and mascarpone, and heat. Finally, add parmesan and let cool. Place the filling on the pasta squares, place another square on top, and close the sides with a pastry crimper.
