Recipe Du Jour

Hi All,

When we go out to eat, we are looking to have a good time with friends and family, spill a little wine, receive great service, and most importantly partake in a great gastronomic experience. This week's recipe is borrowed from the wonderful people at We Are Never Full for a dish that has been featured at popular trattoria Al Di La on the corner Carroll Street. The rich, nuttiness of the sauce will really enhance the sweetness of the beet filling inside the ravioli. As always, please try this recipe and send us comments and feedback. Good cooking and good eating.

Casunziei-Beet Stuffed Ravioli with Brown Butter-Poppy Seed Sauce
Difficulty: Moderate

Ingredients for Ravioli:

1 batch of fresh ravioli OR (if easier, but I’ll shed a bit of a tear) wonton wrappers
2 beets, peeled and boiled till soft
1 large potato, peeled and boiled till soft
7 oz of ricotta
1/2 cup of grated parmigiano reggiano
3 tablespoons of milk
1/4 teaspoon of fresh nutmeg
pinch of salt to taste

Ingredients for Sauce:

4-6 tablespoons of unsalted butter (eyeball - you may want more sauce or less sauce so use whatever amount of butter you want!)
optional: 6 sage leaves
1 to 2 tablespoons of poppy seeds
freshly grated parmigiano reggiano
(optional) pinch of salt
(optional garnish) chopped chives

Cooking and Preparation:

1) Boil your beets and potato until very soft. Remove and allow to cool for a bit. When cool, mash by hand or blitz in a food processor till pretty smooth. Add to a bowl.
2) Once the beet/potato mixture is cool, add your ricotta, cheese, nutmeg, salt and milk. Stir to combine. Taste for seasoning.
3) Using a glass or ravioli cutter with a 4-inch diameter, cut your ravioli circles. Fill the midde of each ravioli with about 1 teaspoon filling. Wet the outer diameter of the ravioli with water using your finger. Bring one side of the circle to meet the other and pinch all of the sides closed. Dust with a bit of flour and allow to await its fate in the boiling water. Note to self - start boiling your pasta water. Don’t forget to add some salt!
4) Continue making all your ravioli until you have enough.
5) Add your ravioli to the boiling water and allow to cook (about 2 to 3 minutes). They should raise to the top when they are done.
6) In a separate pan, heat up your butter on medium-low and allow to cook until butter begins to get a bit of color. Add your sage leaves and continue to get a bit more color. Add your poppy seeds and toss a bit. Add your ravioli’s to the pan and toss in the butter sauce.
7) Plate ravioli’s with some of the butter sauce on top along with a pinch of (optional) salt and a dusting of freshly ground parmigiano reggiano and chives (optional).

© We Are Never Full