Mushroom Ravioli with Pumpkin-Sage Sauce

This was featured in the the fall issue of Gatherings, a gorgeous online magazine...and the brainchild of my dear childhood friend, Heather Spriggs Thompson. 

This is a fun recipe, one that may cause you pat your own back with humble self-satisfaction.  

I splurged and bought a bag of dehydrated "good" mushrooms:  cremini, shittake, oyster, trumpet, etc. 

Mostly I bought it because I loved the product name:  "Fungus AmongUs".  How could I resist?

When I snipped open the bag, it smelled like a walk through the forest on a foggy fall afternoon.

I heated a bit of water and rehydrated the little lovelies according to the package directions.

Using fresh pasta sheets is certainly supreme to the faux pasta the wonton wrappers create.  But when you're pressed for time and want to make a special supper for a special someone, reach for the wrappers.  

You'll want to prepare a little assembly station and have everything at the ready.  Working quickly is important so the wrappers don't dry out. 

While it may seem like a lot of ingredients and a frightful amount of steps, I promise it's worth it...

Here's the printable recipe.

Mushroom Ravioli with Pumpkin-Sage Sauce
(Makes about 26 ravioli and 1 cup of sauce)

Mushroom Filling:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 shallot cloves, diced (Substitute a 1/4 cup of diced onion)
1/2 pound good mushrooms (cremini, trumpet, oyster, shiitake, etc.), chopped  (Substitute button mushrooms, stems removed and chopped)
1 clove garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
1/2 teaspoon finely rubbed dried rosemary (substitute 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary)
2 tablespoons dry white wine
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup toasted breadcrumbs
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons grated Pecorino Romano (substitute a good Parmesan)
2 tablespoons mascarpone cheese

Pumpkin-Sage Sauce:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 shallot clove, sliced into rounds and separated into rings
4 fresh sage leaves, cut away from center stem and chopped
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup half-and-half (Substitute heavy cream)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons brown sugar
pinch of ground cloves

For the assembly:
52 wonton wrappers (Or fresh pasta sheets, cut into 56 (2 and 1/2 inch) squares)
2 eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon water

1/4 cup grated Parmesan, divided 
Sage leaves for garnish, if desired
 
To prepare the filling:

Melt butter over medium-high heat in large skillet. Add shallots and saute for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon. Add mushrooms and saute until browned, about 5 minutes.    Add garlic and saute for 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Add the rosemary (rubbing it between your fingers will break it up a bit and help you remove the woody stems...) then the wine and cook until liquid is evaporated, 1-2 minutes. 

Transfer contents of skillet to a food processor fitted with a steel blade.  Pulse processor for about a minute to finely chop the mushroom mixture. 

Transfer chopped mushroom mixture into a mixing bowl.  Add the egg, breadcrumbs and cheeses.  Stir well and set aside. 

To assemble and cook the ravioli:
Set a gallon of water to a boil in a large stock pot.  Add a teaspoon of salt to the water.

In a small bowl, prepare an "egg wash" by beating the eggs with 1 tablespoon of water. 

Set a large sheet of waxed paper on working surface.  Lay out 8 wonton wrappers. Set the bowl of mushroom filling nearby.  (Also place a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper nearby; this sheet will receive the assembled ravioli and help you efficiently transport them to the boiling water.)

Using a pastry brush and working quickly so the wrappers do not dry out, brush 4 of the wrappers with the egg wash.  Place a teaspoon of mushroom filling on the center of the 4 egg-washed wrappers.  Lay a wonton wrapper on directly on top of the filling and lightly press down, using your fingers to press out the air and seal the wrappers together.  Placed the filled raviolis on the parchment paper-lined baking sheet.  Repeat until all filling has been used.

Working in batches of 4 to 6, boil the ravioli for 2-3 minutes.  Use a slotted spoon to remove the ravioli from the water and gently drain.  Repeat until all ravioli have been cooked. 

(If you're feeling picky, trim the edges of the square ravioli after they've cooked to create a pretty circle.) 

To make the sauce:

Melt butter in a large skillet.  Saute shallots 3-4 minutes over medium-high heat, stirring frequently until browned.  Remove shallots with slotted spoon and reserve for topping plated ravioli.  Add chopped sage to the butter and cook, stirring constantly, for about one minute.  Stir in the remaining sauce ingredients.  Use a whisk to combine well.  If sauce is too thick, use a few teaspoons of additional half-and-half to thin it a bit. 

To serve:

Divide ravioli onto plates and serve, spooning with sauce and topping with grated Parmesan,  reserved shallots (see sauce recipe), and garnishing with sage (if desired).

Recipe adapted from Andrew Zimmern

Spaghetti Pie

A few months ago, I did a guest post for my blogging friend, Estela.  I'm always inspired by her posts because she's a Registered Dietician and she knows her stuff.  Estela combines healthy meals with fun, kid-friendly presentations and beautiful photos.  What's not to love?

She re-posted this recipe on Facebook last night, and I literally jumped up from my chair to begin making it for dinner.  That "phenomenon" is every food blogger/cookbook author's goal:  to get us off of our bottoms and into the kitchen.  It worked, Estela! 

This was wonderfully simple to prepare and the kids loved it (so did I).

Please click over to Estela's website (The Weekly Bite).  She has many wonderful recipes and ideas!   

(You can see by the lack of photos that I didn't plan to blog about this at first...)

The summed-up version of the recipe:  

Boil about 7 ounces of pasta.  

Let it cool and mix it with olive oil, beaten eggs, and Parmesan cheese.

Form the spaghetti into a "crust".  

I decided to add a little sauteed kale to my spaghetti pie.

Top veggie layer (if using) with ricotta cheese mixture.

And top the ricotta layer with marinara sauce (with meat, if using), 

and mozzarella cheese.

 Bake for 30 minutes and then let it sit for 15 minutes before serving.

Please look here to see Estela's wonderful photos and directions.

(Here's the printable recipe.) 

Estela's Spaghetti Pie
Serves 6

7 ounces spaghetti (I like Barilla Plus)
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb lean ground turkey
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 eggs
1 cup Parmesan cheese
1 cup ricotta cheese
2 tablespoon Italian seasoning
16 oz jar of your favorite marinara sauce
3/4 cup mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray deep pie dish with non-stick cooking spray. 

Boil spaghetti for no more than 10 minutes. Drain spaghetti, coat with 1 tablespoon olive oil, and set aside.

While the spaghetti’s cooling, mix the ricotta, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning. Set aside. 

In a large saucepan, heat one tablespoon olive oil to medium heat, saute chopped onions for a few minutes until tender. 

Add ground turkey and garlic powder. Cook until turkey is browned. Add jar of marinara sauce to meat. Add salt & pepper to taste. Set aside.

Whisk 2 eggs with 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Toss egg mixture into cooled pasta. Pour pasta into pie dish and form a pie crust shape with the pasta. Spread ricotta cheese mixture over pasta. Pour meat sauce over cheese mixture. Top with mozzarella.

Bake for 30 minutes. Once cooked, remove from oven and let set for about 15 minutes.

Recipe from:  The Weekly Bite

Ricotta-Stuffed Jumbo Pasta Shells

This recipe makes two 13" x 9" pans of stuffed jumbo pasta shells. 

That's a lot of pasta. 

But, you can...

1) Halve the recipe,
2) Invite another family over for supper,
3) Take supper to a friend, or
4) Freeze one for later. 

Options.  I like them.  

This is just like making lasagna, only with a different kind of pasta. 

Try not to run away because of the lengthy ingredient list. 

It's worth it!


Ricotta-Stuffed Jumbo Pasta Shells
(Makes two 13x9" pans)

Pasta

1 15-ounce package Jumbo Pasta Shells, cooked according to directions

Sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, finely diced

4 cloves garlic, minced (or 4 teaspoons)

2 pounds lean ground beef or bison (or turkey or chicken)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon oregano

1 teaspoon parsley

1 28-ounce jar marinara sauce (for this recipe I used Organic Ragu "Traditional Original")

1 28-ounce can whole, peeled tomatoes (including liquid)

Ricotta Filling

3 cups (24 ounces) ricotta cheese

2 cups (16 ounces) cottage cheese

2 eggs, well beaten

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cheese Topping

1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese (per each 13 x 9 pan)

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (per each 13 x 9 pan)

To Prepare:

Cook the jumbo shells according to package directions while you are preparing the sauce.  Once the jumbo shells are cooked, drain into a colander and rinse with cold water.  Set aside.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.  Saute the onion for 6-7 minutes until translucent, stirring often.  Add the garlic and continue to saute for 4-5 minutes. 

Add ground meat and cook until brown, stirring often.  (I like to use a potato masher to break up the large clumps of meat to ensure even cooking.)

Add salt, oregano and parsley.  Stir well.

Add the jar of marinara sauce and the can of tomatoes.  Use the potato masher or the back of a large spoon to mash the tomatoes.

Cover skillet and let the sauce simmer while you prepare the filling.

Ricotta Filling

Mix together ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, 2 beaten eggs, the salt and pepper, and the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. 

Grease the bottom of the 13 x 9 baking dishes with a little olive oil. 

Ladle about a 1-2 cups of sauce in the bottom of each baking dish.

Fill shells with the ricotta cheese mixture (I used about 2 tablespoons per shell) and set shells on top of sauce in dish.  (You'll end up with about 20 filled shells per baking dish.)

Ladle about 1-2 cups of sauce over the filled shells, and sprinkle with the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.  (You might have sauce left over....or you can really drench the shells...your choice.)

Cover pans with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes, until hot and bubbly. 

Pasta with Edamame and Bacon

A quick meal that has very few ingredients. 

And also happens to be...delicious.

Are you smiling?

It's easy.  And it took me about 20 minutes, including interruptions from kiddos.

May I show you?

First, get your water boiling in a large pot to cook the pasta and nuke the frozen edamame (or peas) while you're doing the rest of these steps.

Saute bacon for 7-8 minutes.

Transfer cooked bacon to a plate with a slotted spoon.

Discard all but a tablespoon of the bacon grease.

Whisk in a cup of cream.

Continue to whisk over medium-high heat for about 7-8 minutes.

It will thicken and "reduce."

Add the bacon back to the pan.

And the cooked edamame (or substitute peas).

Stir together to mix.  Taste it.  Add a little salt if needed.

Combine with about 1/2 pound of cooked fettuchine. 

(Just eyeball half of a one-pound box.)

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Pasta with Edamame and Bacon

Serves 3-4

1/2 pound pasta (fettucchine, thin spaghetti, linguine, or even cheese tortellini), cooked according to package instructions

4 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 cup frozen edamame (soybeans), cooked (or substitute frozen peas)

1 cup heavy cream

1/4 teaspoon salt

In a large skillet, saute bacon for 7-8 minutes over medium-high heat.  Using a slotted spoon, tranfer cooked bacon to a plate lined with a paper towel.  Reserve 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease and discard the rest.  Whisk cream into the reserved bacon grease and whisk over medium-high heat for another 7-8 minutes until the cream has thickened and "reduced". 

Add the cooked bacon back to the pan; also toss in the cooked edamame (or peas, if using).  Stir together to mix well.

Stir cooked pasta into the sauce. 

Top with Parmesan cheese.

Lick your chops, and enjoy!

Linguine Americana

A pantry-friendly supper.

You might even have these simple ingredients on hand.

I used linguine, but almost any pasta will work.

Linguine Americana
serves 4

3 slices bacon, diced
1 small onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, peeled and finely diced
2 stalks celery, finely diced
1 14.5-ounce can stewed tomatoes (juice included); (diced tomatoes work fine, too)
5 cups chicken stock (or broth)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt (plus more to taste)
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
8 ounces linguine, broken into 2-inch long pieces (or other type of pasta)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese for garnish

Saute the bacon in a large stockpot.  Cook until lightly browned but not burned.  Add the onion, stirring well to coat in bacon drippings.  Saute for 7-8 minutes over medium-high heat, until onion is soft and translucent. Add garlic, carrots, and celery, mixing well with onion, and saute for 10 minutes until tender.  Add can of tomatoes, juice and all.  Bring to a simmer and then add the chicken stock.  Add salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil and add the pasta (be sure to break the linguine into 2-inch-long pieces).  Cook for about 10-12 minutes, until pasta is "al dente", the Italian expression for cooked pasta that is still firm, but not hard.  You'll need to stir the pot frequently as there will not be an abundance of liquid in which to cook the pasta. 

(Alternatively, you could cook the pasta in a separate pot of boiling water, drain it, and add to  the carrot/celery/chicken stock sauce.  But the pasta won't absorb all of the yummy flavors that way.) 

Taste the sauce, and add more salt and pepper if necessary.

About the time the pasta is al dente, you will be left with a lovely sauce in the pot.  If it is too runny and soupy, continue to cook a bit longer.

Serve and garnish with the cheese.

Recipe adapted from here -- TLC Cooking.

Linguine e Americana

Smoked Gruyere and Penne Salad with Parsley Parmesan Dressing

This yummy pasta will disappear quickly from the serving bowl.

You can substitute any sort of smoked cheese:  mozzarella works wonderfully.  Gruyere was all I could find today, so I went with it.

I used "mini" penne when I made it this time, and the boys loved it. 

The roasted red bell pepper adds pretty color and a nice sweet flavor to complement the smokey cheese.

For a quick how-to on roasting peppers, click here.

Here's the printable recipe.

Smoked Gruyere and Penne Salad with Parsley Parmesan Dressing
serves 4-6

The Parsley Parmesan Dressing
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 chopped parsley (about one fresh bunch)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and freshly grated pepper, to taste

The Salad
1/2 pound penne pasta
1 red bell pepper, roasted and diced
2 cups packed baby spinach, washed and stemmed (optional)
1/2 pound smoked Gruyere cheese (or mozzarella), diced

To prepare the dressing:

Combine Parmesan cheese, parsley, mayonnaise, vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade.  (A blender works well, too.)  Process until smooth, scraping down sides of the bowl as needed.

To prepare the salad:

In a large pot of boiling water, cook the pasta until it is al dente (i.e. no longer hard, but also not mushy). Drain the pasta into a colander, run cold water over it or submerge it in ice water until chilled through, and drain well.  In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked pasta, spinach (if using), roasted red peppers, and smoked Gruyere.

Toss salad with the dressing.  Serve immediately.

Note:  You can make the salad up to 2 days in advance.  Just add the spinach and dressing before serving.

Adapted from The Whole Foods Market Cookbook