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From the Cook's Quarters...
Justin Freeman's a vegetarian, but we try to not hold that against him. He's also the best cook on the team, so we don't mind going sans meat once in a while when he invites us over for a meal. Here's one of his, and our, favorites.
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\r\nRavioli Recipe
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\r\nBy Justin Freeman
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\r\nI realized that I am nearly the only person whose favorite food listing has a specific recipe. The most important ingredient here is about four hours of time in the kitchen, but I think you will conclude that it is worth it.
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\r\nHomemade Spinach Ravioli
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\r\nIngredients:
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\r\n(For the Pasta):
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\r\n4 cups semolina pasta flour
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\r\n4 eggs
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\r\n1 teaspoon salt
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\r\n½ cup water
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\r\n(For the filling):
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\r\none medium onion
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\r\na cup and a half low-fat ricotta cheese
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\r\none pound frozen spinach
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\r\n½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
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\r\n½ teaspoon nutmeg
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\r\n4 or 5 cloves of garlic
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\r\na couple teaspoons each basil, oregano, and parsley
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\r\n(For the sauce):
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\r\none or two onions
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\r\none large red pepper
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\r\n10 or so cloves of garlic (less is you’re not a garlic person)
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\r\n2 or three large tomatoes
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\r\n2 28 oz. cans of diced tomatoes (or about four pounds of tomatoes, peeled and diced plus
\r\nsalt to taste)
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\r\nbasil, oregano, and parsley
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\r\nNotes on ingredients:
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\r\nYou can scale this up or down, but it is enough work that I recommend against making a half recipe—make the whole thing and have some good leftovers.
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\r\nYou can use all-purpose flour instead of pasta flour but you will get a weaker, less elastic pasta dough.
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\r\nRemember that Parmesan cheese is found in the cheese section of the supermarket and is most definitely not found in green cylinders in the pasta aisle.
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\r\nFresh basil etc. will always taste better but I mostly use dried—just make sure it hasn’t been sitting around too long and lost its flavor.
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\r\nCanned diced tomatoes are much easier than cooking with fresh ones, but buy brand name, they are often markedly better than store brand.
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\r\nMaking pasta dough:
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\r\nPut the flour in a large bowl. Add the eggs, salt, and water. Mix with your hands until well mixed. Then break this dough into two pieces. Cover one piece with plastic wrap and knead the other until you have a smooth and elastic dough. Wrap this is plastic wrap and knead the other, then wrap this as well. I often make the dough a day ahead of time and keep it in the refrigerator overnight. Regardless, make sure that the dough is wrapped in something airtight, and make sure that you rest it for at least half an hour before working with it any more.
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\r\nMaking the filling:
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\r\nSauté the onion in a small amount of oil. Crush the garlic and add it to the onion. When the onion starts to turn clear, add the spinach. Cook over medium heat, stir frequently, until most of the liquid from the spinach has evaporated. Remove the pan from heat and let it cool. Add the cheeses and spices and stir well.
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\r\nMaking the raviolis:
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\r\nYou should have two pieces of pasta dough. Cut each one in half, so that you have a total of four. Make sure that all but the one you are working with are wrapped. Then, use a rolling pin to flatten one piece of dough. Especially if you have refrigerated it, this may seem nearly impossible at first, but the dough will cooperate eventually. Try to form the dough into a rectangle—it’s okay to move around pieces of flattened dough in order to achieve this as long as you make sure that everything is well stuck together. I’ve never measured but your rectangle should probably be at least 10 by 15 inches, maybe bigger.
\r\nOnce you have this rolled out, put it aside and roll out another piece of dough. Try to end up with and identically shaped piece. Determine which is smaller, and use it as the bottom layer when you start assembling the ravioli.
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\r\nNow, place spoonfuls (1-2 tablespoons??) of the filling evenly spaced on the bottom rectangle of pasta dough. There should be room for 18 to 20, and this should use about half of the filling. Carefully place the other rectangle of pasta dough over the top. Then press the dough so that it sticks together in all the places between the spoonfuls of filling. Then use a knife or a pastry wheel to separate the raviolis, being careful as you pick up each one to make sure the top and bottom layers of pasta dough stick together.
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\r\nRepeat with the other half of the pasta dough and filling.
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\r\nIf you are not ready to cook the raviolis, you can store them in the refrigerator for up to a couple of days before cooking them. But beware: when you store them, the raviolis cannot touch or they will stick together and you will be unable to separate them. I tend to put five or six on a plate, place a layer of plastic wrap over them, and then repeat this for a few layers.
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\r\nCooking the ravioli:
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\r\nCook the raviolis in two or three batches (depending on the size of your pot). Cook them in boiling water for ten minutes, then remove with a slotted spoon.
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\r\nMaking the sauce:
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\r\nYou may actually want to start this first, since the sauce benefits from simmering for a long time. Sauté the onion(s), pepper and garlic until tender. Add the diced tomatoes and spices and simmer for at least 20 minutes. Place the whole mixture in a food processor and puree (in batches if you have a small food processor). Dice the fresh tomatoes, add them to the sauce, and simmer until dinner time.
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\r\nServe the raviolis with the sauce over them, and freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top.
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\r\nThis recipe feeds about five or six hungry skiers, or eight to ten less hungry folks.
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With some ingenuity and a little sweat, Pete was able to alter this recipe and provide the team with a non-vegetarian, cost-effective meal. Main course: New Zealand's most popular pest, the possum. Don't try this at home...you might get rabies.
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\r\nTeam Today is a non-profit organization run by, and for, the athletes of the US Cross-country team. The USST is run on a shoestring budget, and our increasing success at the international level is making for increasing demand on our ever-limited resources. To find out how you can join Team Today, visit www.teamtoday.org, or contact Andrew Johnson bode1978@yahoo.com, or Pete Vordenberg pvordenberg@ussa.org. With your assistance, we will be THE BEST IN THE WORLD!
Written By: JFreemanDate Posted: 6/2/2004Number of Views: 347
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