As most of you already know, I get my passion for cooking mainly from my mother and grandmother and it is because of them that I strive for greatness in the kitchen day after day, year after year. It is instilled in me to my very core that family starts at the dinner table and I get great pleasure watching my loved ones devouring my dishes. I come from a very large family and, although we are all so different, so stuck each in our own ways, we all have respect for one another and our family values are all the same. Each of us attaches different memories to each family dish served. It still amazes me that food and family are so closely connected.
It is so easy to justify not making time for family dinner. I have to work late, I have homework, I want to spend time with....I think it is important to get back to family basics and instill in future generations how important family dinner really is. Turn off your smart phones and enjoy a meal with your loved ones as often as possible. "Shoulda, coulda, woulda," is a horrible feeling to have and we all need to be mindful of that each and every day.
It brings me great pleasure every time I make my Nonna's ravioli, because I think back to the times I helped her mix the flour on the large wooden board that my father made for her in the 60's to cover her kitchen table. Time and time and time again, this recipe helps me keep my sweet Nonna in mind.
I am home spending time with my family and I have made 300 ravioli with my mother for our family Christmas party on Dec 18th. We have this party the Sunday before Christmas every year so we can see our extended family before we break up into our smaller family units (Our smaller family unit is still 14 people). This feast is unbelievable and all parties involved bring a family favourite dish to create the biggest Italian potluck I have ever seen.
I wanted to document my Nonna's ravioli recipe for all of you to enjoy with me. I look forward to another year's journey, one family recipe at a time. I can't wait for my 90 year old Nonna to try my recreation of such a prominent family dish.
Buon Appetito!
For the pasta:
If you want to make your own pasta, here are some great links. http://johndlee.hubpages.com/hub/How-to-Make-Homemade-Ravioli,http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/pasta-dough-for-ravioli-recipe/index.html.
Nonna's Ravioli Filling
Makes 136 large Ravioli
- 1 kg Ricotta cheese
- 1 cup Parmigiano cheese grated
- 1/4 cup Romana cheese grated
- 2 cups Friulano cheese grated
- 2 cups Mozzarella cheese grated
- 2 eggs
- 4 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp grated nutmeg
- 1 tbsp white pepper
In a large bowl mix together all ingredients until well blended and set aside.
Make or purchase pasta sheets.
I recommend assembling the Ravioli on a wood board that is lightly floured. This will prevent the pasta from sticking.
Roll mixture in the palm of your hand into a ball slightly smaller than a golf ball and space evenly along pasta sheets. I made 4 per rectangular sheet. Brush all edges and corners with water, as well as in between each ravioli. This will help seal them properly.
Gently fold over dough pressing outer edges and in between each ravioli before cutting.
Using a knife or a decorative cutter, slice in between each ravioli to make 4 per sheet. Press around all sides of each ravioli and make sure each one has a good seal.
Make sure to transfer the ravioli onto a cloth lined sheet pan as you go. As you fill each pan, freeze them flat before transferring them into a large freezer bag. This will ensure they do not get stuck together.
I make big batches at once so I can freeze them for future meals. If you buy the pasta sheets from the store, you will need about 17 sheets for the filling recipe above.
If you want to buy pasta sheets already prepared, I find Italian pasta shops to be just as good as home made. Here is a link to a Toronto based store as an example. http://pastavita.sites.toronto.com/index.html
Boil ravioli in salted boiling water until tender. (5-6 minutes if frozen, 2-3 minutes if fresh)
Toss gently in your favourite sauce and top with fresh parmigiano cheese. In my family we enjoy ravioli in my mom's homemade tomato basil sauce.(she makes over 200 jars each summer) Although there are many ways to make ravioli, this is the way that brings me closer to my childhood and allows me to carry on our family's delicious dishes.
