The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook (93 page)
Read The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook Online
Authors: The Editors at America's Test Kitchen
Tags: #Cooking
1.
Run disk of pasta through rollers set to widest position.
2.
Bring ends of dough toward middle and press down to seal.
3.
Feed open side of pasta through rollers. Repeat steps 1 and 2.
4.
Without folding again, run pasta through widest setting twice or until dough is smooth. If dough is at all sticky, lightly dust it with flour. Begin to roll pasta thinner by putting it through the machine repeatedly, narrowing setting each time.
5.
Roll until dough is thin and satiny, dusting with flour if sticky. You should be able to see outline of your hand through pasta. Lay pasta on clean kitchen towel and cover it with damp cloth. Repeat with other pieces of dough.
6.
To make fettuccine, run each sheet through wide cutter on pasta machine. Each noodle will measure ¹⁄
8
to ¹⁄
4
inch across.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
Commercial filled pastas like ravioli and tortellini can be tough and doughy, not supple and tender like homemade versions. We set out to develop an approachable method for making ravioli and tortellini at home. Starting with our
FRESH EGG PASTA
, we rolled the sheets thin to ensure that the edges, where the pasta is sealed, wouldn’t turn out too chewy. To prevent the pasta from bursting open while boiling, we were especially careful to use just-rolled pasta sheets that were still moist and pliable (sheets rolled even 20 minutes ahead of time were too brittle to manipulate). Brushing the edges with water made the best seal (egg yolk was too sticky). A modest amount of filling proved best for pillowy ravioli and tortellini that stayed contained during cooking.
SERVES 6 TO 8
This recipe produces 2-inch square ravioli or large tortellini.
GARDEN TOMATO SAUCE
3 | tablespoons unsalted butter |
1 | small onion, chopped fine |
1 | carrot, peeled and minced |
1 | (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes |
Salt and pepper |
MEAT AND RICOTTA FILLING
1 | tablespoon olive oil |
2 | garlic cloves, minced |
8 | ounces 85 percent lean ground beef, ground pork, or ground veal |
8 | ounces (1 cup) whole-milk ricotta cheese |
¹⁄ | cup grated Parmesan cheese |
¹⁄ | cup minced fresh basil |
1 | large egg yolk |
¹⁄ | teaspoon pepper |
All-purpose flour, for dusting | |
1 | recipe |
1 | tablespoon salt |
Grated Parmesan cheese |
1. FOR THE SAUCE:
Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and carrot and cook until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and ¹⁄
2
teaspoon salt, bring to simmer, and cook until sauce thickens, about 1 hour. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and set aside to keep warm. (Sauce can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. Bring back to simmer before cooking ravioli.)
2. FOR THE FILLING:
Heat oil and garlic in 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until garlic turns golden but not brown, about 3 minutes. Stir in ground beef and cook, breaking up any large pieces with wooden spoon, until fat is rendered and meat is browned, about 5 minutes. Remove browned meat with slotted spoon, transfer to large bowl, and let cool slightly. Stir in ricotta, Parmesan, basil, egg yolk, and pepper until well combined. Cover and refrigerate mixture until cool, about 30 minutes. (Filling can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)
3A. TO FORM RAVIOLI:
Dust 2 rimmed baking sheets and counter with flour. Working with 1 pasta sheet at a time, cut pasta into long rectangles measuring 4 inches across with pizza wheel or sharp knife. Place rounded 1-teaspoon dollops of filling 1 inch from bottom edge of dough and spaced about 1¹⁄
4
inches apart. (If edges of dough seem dry, dab with water.) Fold top of pasta over filling and press layers of dough together securely around each mound of filling to seal. Using fluted pastry wheel, cut ravioli apart and trim edges. Transfer finished ravioli to prepared sheets and cover with damp kitchen towels. Repeat with remaining pasta and filling. (Towel-covered sheets of ravioli can be wrapped with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 4 hours, or frozen; when completely frozen, ravioli can be transferred to zipper-lock bag and stored in freezer for up to 1 month. Do not thaw ravioli before boiling.)
3B. TO FORM TORTELLINI:
Dust 2 rimmed baking sheets and counter with flour. Working with 1 pasta sheet at a time, cut pasta into 2¹⁄
2
-inch squares with pizza wheel or sharp knife. Place ¹⁄
2
-teaspoon dollops of filling in center of each square. (If edges of dough seem dry, dab with water.) Fold 1 corner of square diagonally over filling, leaving thin border of bottom dough layer exposed. Press layers of dough together securely around filling to seal. Lift each filled triangle and wrap back of triangle around top of index finger. Squeeze bottom corners of triangle together. Slide filled pasta off finger, transfer to prepared sheets, and cover with damp kitchen towels. Repeat with remaining pasta and filling. (Towel-covered sheets of tortellini can be wrapped with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 4 hours, or frozen; when completely frozen, tortellini can be transferred to zipper-lock bag and stored in freezer for up to 1 month. Do not thaw tortellini before boiling.)
4.
Bring 4 quarts water to simmer in large pot. Add half of pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until pasta is tender, about 2 minutes (3 to 4 minutes if frozen), adjusting heat as needed to maintain simmer. Remove pasta with slotted spoon and transfer to warm serving bowl. Add some of warm sauce to pasta, toss gently to combine, and cover to keep warm. Repeat with remaining pasta and transfer to serving bowl. Add remaining sauce to pasta, toss gently to combine, and serve immediately, passing Parmesan separately.
SERVES 6 TO 8
This recipe produces 2-inch square ravioli or large tortellini.
12 | ounces curly-leaf spinach, stemmed and leaves cut into 1-inch pieces |
2 | tablespoons unsalted butter |
¹⁄ | cup finely chopped onion |
8 | ounces (1 cup) whole-milk ricotta cheese |
1¹⁄ | ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (³⁄ |
1 | large egg yolk |
¹⁄ | teaspoon pepper |
All-purpose flour, for dusting | |
1 | recipe |
1 | tablespoon salt |
1 | recipe |
Grated Parmesan cheese |
1.
Microwave spinach and ¹⁄
4
cup water in large covered bowl until wilted, about 4 minutes. Drain spinach in colander, pressing on spinach with spatula to release any excess liquid. Let spinach cool slightly, then chop fine.
2.
Melt butter in 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in chopped spinach and cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Transfer spinach mixture to large bowl, cool slightly, then stir in ricotta, Parmesan, egg yolk, and pepper. Cover and refrigerate mixture until cool, about 30 minutes. (Filling can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)
3A. TO FORM RAVIOLI:
Dust 2 rimmed baking sheets and counter with flour. Working with 1 pasta sheet at a time, cut pasta into long rectangles measuring 4 inches across with pizza wheel or sharp knife. Place rounded 1-teaspoon dollops of filling 1 inch from bottom edge of dough and spaced about 1¹⁄
4
inches apart. (If edges of dough seem dry, dab with water.) Fold top of pasta over filling and press layers of dough together securely around each mound of filling to seal. Using fluted pastry wheel, cut ravioli apart and trim edges. Transfer finished ravioli to prepared sheets and cover with damp kitchen towels. Repeat with remaining pasta and filling. (Towel-covered sheets of ravioli can be wrapped with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 4 hours, or frozen; when completely frozen, ravioli can be transferred to zipper-lock bag and stored in freezer for up to 1 month. Do not thaw ravioli before boiling.)
3B. TO FORM TORTELLINI:
Dust 2 rimmed baking sheets and counter with flour. Working with 1 pasta sheet at a time, cut pasta into 2¹⁄
2
-inch squares with pizza wheel or sharp knife. Place ¹⁄
2
-teaspoon dollops of filling in center of each square. (If edges of dough seem dry, dab with water.) Fold 1 corner of square diagonally over filling, leaving thin border of bottom dough layer exposed. Press layers of dough together securely around filling to seal. Lift each filled triangle and wrap back of triangle around top of index finger. Squeeze bottom corners of triangle together. Slide filled pasta off finger, transfer to prepared sheets, and cover with damp kitchen towels. Repeat with remaining pasta and filling. (Towel-covered sheets of tortellini can be wrapped with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 4 hours, or frozen; when completely frozen, tortellini can be transferred to zipper-lock bag and stored in freezer for up to 1 month. Do not thaw tortellini before boiling.)
4.
Bring 4 quarts water to simmer in large pot. Add half of pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until pasta is tender, about 2 minutes (3 to 4 minutes if frozen), adjusting heat as needed to maintain simmer. Remove pasta with slotted spoon and transfer to warm serving bowl. Add some of warm sauce to pasta, toss gently to combine, and cover to keep warm. Repeat with remaining pasta and transfer to serving bowl. Add remaining sauce to pasta, toss gently to combine, and serve immediately, passing Parmesan separately.