RAVIOLI

 

3 cups plain flour

4 large eggs and

1 egg yolk

Place the flour in a large bowl, and make a well in the center.  Whisk the eggs and yolk with a fork whilst slowly incorporating the flour until combined.  Bring the dough together with your hands to form a ball and knead for 10 minutes until smooth and pliable. Wrap the dough in cling film and leave to rest for 30 minutes, out of the fridge.

Roll out the dough and fold and roll it out again 4 times. Then cut the dough sheet into small squares and stuff it with your favorite filling.  

Recipe for the stuffing:
1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, peeled and grated

1 carrot, grated

1 celery stalk. threaded and sliced

600 g minced meat

3 tbsp tomato paste

2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

500 ml (2 cups) tasty meat stock

2 tsp fresh thyme

Hot melted butter and

Tomato sauce.

Saute the onion, carrot, and celery stalk in olive oil for 10 minutes until softened and starting to brown. Stir in the minced meat and cook breaking the lumps with a wooden spoon. until brown. 

Add the tomato paste, garlic, and thyme and simmer for 2 minutes more. Pour in the meat stock, cover with a tight-fitting lid and leave to simmer gently for 1 hour and 15 minutes until the meat becomes tender and the sauce thickens.

Stuff each small pastry square with 1 tbsp of the filling, roll it up, and seal firmly with a fork.  Repeat the same procedure with the remaining ingredients. 

Boil the ravioli in batches in salted water until they rise to the surface and remove with a slotted spoon and place on a hot dish and serve drizzled with hot butter and tomato sauce. 

Tomato Sauce Recipe:

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 a medium onion, peeled and grated

1 small carrot. finely chopped

1 small celery stalk, threaded, plus leaves, finely chopped

1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1 tbsp fresh basil, thickly chopped

1 3/4 lbs fresh tomatoes. halved. deseeded. grated, skins discarded

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Saute the onion, celery, carrot, parsley and basil in olive oil and cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. until the vegetables are cooked completely. Add the minced garlic and cook for 3 seconds.Add the tomato paste, grated fresh tomatoes and basil  Season to taste and cook uncovered for 15 minutes. Pour over the ravioli