FOUR CHEESE RAVIOLI WITH WILD MUSHROOM SAUCE
Pasta
2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
2 whole eggs (110 g)
2 large (36 g) egg yolks
1 tsp. (4 g) salt
1 T. (14 g) olive oil
Traditional Method:
Measure the flour and sift onto a wooden cutting board or pasta board. Make a well in the flour and crack in 2 eggs and 2 egg yolks. Mix with a fork, as though scrambling the eggs, incorporating the flour bit by bit. Add olive oil and continue to mix. When the flour is too stiff to mix with a fork, finish the dough by hand, kneading lightly. Continue to turn and knead the dough until it feels smooth and elastic. Shape the dough into a disk and wrap in plastic. Let rest at least an hour before rolling.
Dough Hook/Mixer Method:
Add ingredients to mixer bowl and beat using dough hook on medium low speed until smooth and elastic.
Rolling:
The pasta can be rolled out by hand on a lightly floured board or by using a pasta machine. It should be rolled fairly thin and cut into sheets about 14 inches long. Using rice flour is a great trick to keep them from sticking together. Keep the pasta sheets under a towel to keep them from drying as you work with one sheet at a time.
When using a machine, roll the pasta through the widest setting, fold into thirds, and pass through the machine again. Repeat two more times. Then roll, decreasing the setting on the machine one notch at a time, until the pasta is the desired thickness.
Cheese Filling
3/4 whole milk ricotta cheese
2/3 cup Italian Fontina, shredded
1/2 cup Mozzarella, shredded
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped
Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper
Make the ricotta filling and set aside until the pasta is rolled out.
Spoon one T of the ricotta filling along the lower third of a sheet of pasta. Leave about 1½ inches between each blob of filling. Spray very lightly with a fine mist of water. Fold the upper half of the pasta over the lower half; then, starting at the fold, gently coax all the air out of the ravioli, pressing the two layers of pasta together with your fingertips. When the sheet of ravioli has been formed and pressed, use a zigzag rolling cutter to cut off the bottom edge and to cut between each portion of filling.
Once the ravioli is separated, lay them out on a sheet pan sprinkled with flour; make sure they aren’t touching or they will stick together. Cover with a towel or parchment paper and refrigerate until ready to cook to prevent the filling from seeping through the pasta, (causing the ravioli to stick to the pan).
Cook the ravioli in salted simmering water for 5 to 6 minutes, until the pasta is done. Drain the ravioli, plate it and top with wild mushroom sauce. Stir gently to mix, and serve on a platter.
Wild Mushroom Sauce
1 pound (453 g) wild mushrooms (chanterelles, porcini, hedgehogs, black trumpets)
1/2 cup (71 g) onion, diced
1 bay leaf
2 or 3 fresh thyme sprigs
4 T (57 g) butter
Salt
Fresh-ground black pepper
1½ cups (355 g) chicken stock (optional)
Lemon juice (optional)
Gremolata:
3 T chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp. grated lemon zest
2 garlic cloves
Finely chopped Parmesan cheese
Carefully clean the mushrooms, trimming away any discolored and soft spots, and removing any dirt and leaves. Tear or cut the mushrooms into rough quarters.
Mushroom broth: Combine the mushroom trimmings in a small saucepan with the onion, bay leaf, and thyme. Cover with 1-1/2 cups (355 g) of water and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve and set aside. (Alternatively, use chicken stock for the sauce.)
Sauté the mushrooms with two T butter over low heat until golden and softened through. Season with salt and pepper. If the mushrooms release a lot of liquid, cook until it evaporates and the mushrooms brown.
Add the broth or chicken stock to the mushrooms and simmer briefly. Swirl in two T of cold butter to thicken slightly. Taste for salt and, if needed, add a few drops of lemon juice.
To serve, add the cooked ravioli and warm briefly. Spoon the ravioli and mushrooms onto a warm platter and pour over the remaining sauce. Garnish with gremolata and grated Parmesan. Serve immediately.
Recipe adapted from Alice Waters, Chez Panisse from The Art of Simple Food
