Uova da Raviolo & Kitchen Cartwheels

Richard and I are going to Italy in October (ah!!!) and in preparation for our trip we have been watching a lot.... I mean A LOT of Anthony Bourdain. It's no secret that we are huge food people... I mean, I would skip Vatican City AND endless gondola rides to experience some serious bolognese (yes, I plan to eat meat in Italy... but that's another conversation, one I'd honestly prefer not to have.) 

With Rich being on be rest, he has been doubling up on his "No Reservations" episodes (and his TV watching and eating). Yesterday, while I was at work bringing home that cheddar (both figuratively and literally... SEE PHOTO below**) he watched the episode on Emilia-Romagna and the next thing I know, the text messages start pouring in..... "you have to make this," "please PLEASE make this, my lovely darling wife...." "our relationship depends on you making this ravioli." He said all of that, minus the pleasantries and with more threats, that our true love truly depended on me making this dish. Anyway, you get the picture.....

me... bringing home the cheddar.

So, being the wonderful, caring, pretty wife that I am (pretty first, wonderful and caring a distant second and third)... I did it. And it did it 'effing' well. 

Here's the thing. I can cook. Pretty well. (Toot Toot) But no matter how great you think you are at something, there are still things (really difficult dishes) that scare the living crap out of you. For me, this was one of them. First off, I had never even heard of "sunny side up egg filled ravioli" and second.... I am sorry.... I have to COOK the pasta while keeping an egg inside of it RAW?!?! 

WTF.

I am not a wizard. No matter how many times I watch Harry Potter.

But again, being the (insert a bunch of flattering adjectives here) wife that I am.... I decided to give it a whirl.... and ended up pretty much doing cartwheels in my kitchen (which, in hindsight, considering Rich's condition could definitely be considered showing off)... But what could I do, I was  overwhelmed with joy and I'm terrible at dancing (which I was too gluttonously full to do anyway). 

Uova da Raviolo

Ingredients:

For the Pasta

3 to 4 cups flour (I used exactly 3... it was humid out)

4 eggs
1/2 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

For the Ravioli

1/2 small white or black truffle, shaved***

1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated, plus more for garnishing pasta
1/2 cup fresh sheep's milk ricotta
1/2 cup spinach, blanched, drained and chopped
Scant pinch nutmeg
Salt and white pepper to taste
1 recipe basic pasta dough, recipe follows
7 very fresh eggs
12 tablespoons butter, melted and kept warm

***If you cannot find truffles or cannot afford them because they are priced like gold, you can use black truffle butter (found at Whole Foods) or could sprinkle the dish with truffle salt (also found at Whole Foods.) I don't recommend using truffle oil... if doesn't actually contain truffles, usually just the fragrance of them and the flavor will cook out with you heat it. 

This makes 6 raviolis, which, in my opinion, could feed 4. They are soooo filling. But, three per person is a good portion. 

Also, I would have a couple extra eggs on hand in case you break one of the yolks. 

happy eggs from happy chickens.... buy them!

Method:

For the Pasta

Mound 3 1/2 cups of the flour in the center of a large wooden cutting board. Make a well in the middle of the flour and add the eggs and the olive oil. Using a fork, beat together the eggs and oil and begin to incorporate the flour, starting with the inner rim of the well.

As you expand the well, keep pushing the flour up from the base of the mound to retain the well shape. The dough will come together when half of the flour is incorporated.

Start kneading the dough with both hands, using the palms of your hands. Once you have a cohesive mass, remove the dough from the board and scrape up and discard any leftover bits. Lightly reflour the board and continue kneading for 6 more minutes. The dough should be elastic and a little sticky. Wrap the dough in plastic and allow to rest for 30 minutes at room temperature. Roll or shape as desired.

For the Ravioli
Recipe from Mario Batali

In a bowl, combine 1/2 the truffle shavings, the Parmigiano, the ricotta and the spinach, mix well, and season to taste with nutmeg, salt and white pepper. Set aside.

Roll out the pasta dough to the thinnest setting on a pasta rolling machine. From the thin pasta sheet, cut 12 circles with a 6-inch diameter. Set 6 of the circles on a sheet tray dusted with flour, cover with plastic wrap and set aside.

In the center of each of the remaining 6 circles, mound an equal portion of the ricotta mixture. With the back of a small ladle or spoon, hollow out a well in the center of each mound. 

Carefully break the eggs, 1 at a time, into a small bowl, and transfer 1 yolk and a bit of white into the center of each well. It is imperative that the yolk remain unbroken.

Cover each filled circle of pasta with an unfilled circle, and press the edges together with fingers to seal.

Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil and add 2 tablespoons salt. Gently, using a wide spatula, lower each ravioli into the water to cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the water and place gently into a 12 to14-inch saute pan with the remaining butter, shave the remaining truffle over, add a generous grating of Parmigiano-Reggiano and carefully put 1 on each plate.