Here is a wonderful recipe I make with homemade pasta. This has become my husband's favorite meal.
1 recipe homemade pasta (See recipe HERE.)
5 Cheese Filling:
10 oz. ricotta cheese
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup provolone cheese, shredded
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
1 egg
2 tablespoons Italian-style bread crumbs
1 tablespoon basil
1 tablespoon parsley
1 teaspoon minced onion
salt and pepper
egg wash (1 egg + 1 tablespoon water)
Sauce:
1 pound ground sausage
24 oz. marinara sauce
2 tablespoons dried basil
2 tablespoons dried parsley
8 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
Prepare pasta dough and allow to rest as directed. While it is resting, prepare the cheese filling. In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, cream cheese, mozzarella, provolone, and Parmesan cheeses. Stir in egg, bread crumbs, basil, parsley, and onion until well mixed. Season with salt and pepper.
In small bowl, prepare egg wash and have ready at the work table, along with flour, a rolling pin, brush, ravioli wheel or knife, and a ravioli frame and press.
Roll pasta into 4-6 rectangular strips about 12" x 4". (I use the scraps to get a total of six strips.) Brush ravioli frame with flour. Place one strip of dough over the ravioli frame. Press dough into the frame with the indented tray. Brush dough with egg wash.
Fill pouches with heaping tablespoons of cheese mixture. Place second strip of pasta dough over the filling. Lightly press with your hand or fingers. Seal by running a rolling pin over the top of the dough, increasing pressure until the zig-zag edges of the frame are visible. Turn frame over and remove ravioli from frame by tapping on the counter or by gently pushing out with fingers. Trim squares with ravioli wheel or knife. Remove excess dough and re-roll. Repeat process until all dough and/or cheese filling has been used.
Place ravioli squares on a baking sheet. May allow to dry up to an hour or may cook at this point.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large saucepan, cook the sausage until browned. Stir in marinara sauce, basil and parsley. Simmer for 10-12 minutes.
To cook ravioli, heat a large pot of water with 1 tablespoon salt and bring to a boil. Place ravioli in boiling water and cook for 4-6 minutes until tender. Drain and return to baking sheet.
Spray large baking dish with cooking spray. Place a third of the cooked ravioli on the bottom of the dish and layer with a third of the sauce and a third of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat this process two more times. Sprinkle top with Parmesan. Bake for 20 minutes and then place under a broiler for 2 minutes to brown top. Garnish with additional basil, if desired. Serves 6-8.
Wine Pairing: Serve with Louis Jadot Beaujolais or your favorite Chianti
Click here for a printable version of this recipe.
