For the Ravioli Aficionados…

[WhateverYouWant]

Thinking about making mushroom ravioli tomorrow, and while I usually have shallots and ricotta on hand, not this time.

What I have is:

Fresh - shrooms, parm reg, onion, garlic, cilantro, jalapeno, citrus, monterrey jack, eggs, milk, bacon, pastrami.

Frozen - peas, broccoli, spinach.

Pantry - EVOO, wine vinegars, panko, canned crab meat, carpano antica.

What I have done in the past is saute the shrooms, garlic, and shallots in EVOO, and then mix that with ricotta and parm with an egg. But without the ricotta, I want to step it up with the other things I have on hand… like possibly spinach and crab (or bacon) and maybe finely grated jack and/or panko instead of the ricotta.

Anybody have a killer idea for using what I have on hand? This will be topped with a rather traditional marinara.

 

[medtran49]

I wouldn't use panko for filling as it's not going to cook and is going to be hard and crunchy, unless that's what you are looking for. It might also tear the pasta dough depending on how big the pieces are.



I think mushrooms, onions, garlic, spinach and bacon or pastrami sound good. Don't want to overpower something like crab. Maybe make a bechamel and use the parm and Jack for a cheese sauce? Nevermind, just saw you are using a marinara.



Use some of the cheese in the filling.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

For filling, you are going to want a smooth texture. This can be accomplished by heating a quarter cup of cream, or making a thick Bechemel, adding a half cup of shredded Monterey Jack, and a 1/4 cup grated parmesan. Mince the mudrooms and sauté in butter until lightly browned. These will be added to the filling.

You can make the rough for the Bechemel with bacon fat, or use butter, flour, and prosciutto. Chop the spinach, and add to the filling. Add the shrooms. Reduce over low heat until you have the desired texture. Season with garlic, salt, and pepper to taste. Get the marinara going. Fill and seal your raviolis, and place the pillows into the sauce to cook until done. Serve with grated Parmesan, and fresh basil on top., and crusty bruschetta on the side.

For the bruschetta, dip the cut side of sub buns in EVOO. Grill on skillet until browned. Remove and rub with raw garlic. If desired, sprinkle with Parmesan, dried basil, and dried oregano. Hope this at least gives you ideas. Oh, and don't forget to brush the pasta sheets with egg wash before filling. And get all air out of the raviolis before cutting them.

Seeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[dragnlaw]

I need to practice my mushroom fillings. I like the way either the ricotta or the béchamel carries the flavour of the mushrooms. I don't have anything to add to what has already been said...

... other than, I find that tomato based sauces do not enhance the mushrooms. I slide the cooked ravioli into brown butter with a couple of baby sage leaves crisping up in the heat. Delish and the only way I eat them now.

 

[medtran49]

You don't need a bechemel for ravioli filling. Steam your spinach by putting just a tiny amount of water in a skillet, s and p, heat over med high, add your spinach and gently stir until it wilts. PUT the spinach in a colander over the sink or a bowl. Rinse out your pan and let dry on heat. Add a small bit of butter or EVOO over medium heat, add your chopped mushrooms and some S and p, and cook until liquid exudes and either evaporates or is soaked back up. Cool. Alternatively, cook some chopped onion and garlic in a little EVOO or butter until.onions are translucent, then add your mushrooms and proceed as above. Squeeze the spinach until dry and finely chop. Finely chop your pastrami. Chop up some cheese. You could use the food processor, but I would do the cheese and pastrami separately, as well as mushrooms because if you put everything together it might muddy flavor. Mix everything together. If you feel you need a binder, break up an egg and stir that in.
If you have a small scoop, like a tablespoon, I'd use that to portion. Much easier that way.

I probably also wouldn't use marinara. A brown butter sauce sounds much.better, especially with some grated parm on top.

I do use a bechemel when I make crab ravioli, but the only things in the filling are crab, some shallot sauteed in a bit of butter, salt and pepper, so it needs a binder. I also use the bechemel in the sauce, which is roasted red bell with some butter sauteed shallots and a bit of garlic, then pureed. Oh, i get a bit of acid in there as well, a touch of sherry vinegar or balsamic usually.

 

[dragnlaw]

I've never had a meat with my mushroom ravioli and truth to tell, really does not appeal to me.

I might change my mind once I try it but might be a while before that happens.

 

[WhateverYouWant]

Thank you all for your suggestions. I've decided to make a spinach pasta. I will saute the shrooms in EVOO with a large pinch of kosher salt, and then add chopped onion and garlic cloves and remove when done. I'll then wilt the spinach in that same pan with whatever oil and bits remain.

All of that, plus some kalamata olives, will then go into the food grinder (small disc) output to a towel lined bowl, and then wringed out, followed by whisking in some micro-planed parm reg and jack cheeses. At this point I doubt (with the finely grated cheese) I'll need a binder, but if I do I'll add an egg yolk or two.

The marinara will start with cooking down some fresh, leftover salsa (fresh tomatoes, garlic, cilantro, parsley, onion, jalapeno, lime juice, tomato paste, spices)… which I will add some SM tomatoes, wine vinegar, and basil/oregano to.

EISSM… sounds delish, but will have to wait until tomorrow as I have some leftover chili I need to get through. (c;