Sunday, February 14, 2010

Homemade Ravioli

Happy Valentine's Day! I am in the midst of making Valentine's dinner, and am taking a break while it cooks to write about last night's dinner. I'm not saying what I'm cooking right now in case it's a disaster, so I won't be obligated to write about it tomorrow :)

Last night I made homemade ravioli filled with ricotta (homemade from a couple days ago) and mascarpone, and topped with fresh pesto. I'm not ready to share my pasta dough recipe yet, not like it's top secret or very complicated, but it's not quite where I want it to be yet so I'm not ready to share (this really means every time I make pasta dough, about halfway through, I contemplate gathering it all up into a floury pile and hurling it off the balcony). I'm going to have to consult my dad on this, he's the homemade pasta expert. Despite all of this, last night's dinner turned out great and was delicious. For now, I'll share my pesto recipe.



About 25 basil leaves
1/3 cup pinenuts, or walnuts, or a mixture of both
4 cloves garlic, smashed
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 - 1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano cheese, grated
salt & pepper

Combine basil, nuts, and garlic in food processor for about 30 seconds, or until smooth. Add olive oil, cheese, and salt and pepper and blend for just about 5-10 seconds or until everything is combined. This makes enough to top pasta for probably 4 or 5 people. If you have leftover and want to store it in the fridge, make sure it's in an airtight container. Put plastic wrap on top of the pesto (within the container), so it's actually touching the pesto to protect it from the air, or cover the pesto with a light layer of olive oil instead (works the same way).

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