6 to 8 servings
When Todd and I are craving the flavors of Thanksgiving—or when we’re spending the holiday alone and I’m not in the mood to cook a whole turkey just for the two of us—I make these holiday-worthy ravioli. They look and taste festive, and there are never any leftovers!
Turkey Ravioli
1 pound ground turkey, preferably dark meat
½ cup whole-berry cranberry sauce
½ cup freshly grated Romano cheese
¼ cup bread crumbs
¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
80 small square wonton wrappers
Gravy
¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter
4 shallots, chopped
¼ cup all-purpose flour
3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup grated Romano cheese, plus more for serving
¼ cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
To make the ravioli, stir together the turkey, cranberry sauce, cheese, bread crumbs, parsley, eggs, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Place 10 wonton wrappers on a work surface. Brush lightly with water using a pastry brush. Place 1 tablespoon of the turkey mixture on each of the wonton wrappers. Top each with another wonton wrapper. Push out any air bubbles, then press the edges tightly to seal. Repeat with the remaining filling and wrappers, forming 10 ravioli at a time.
To make the gravy, heat the butter in a medium, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Add the flour and stir until cooked, about 1 minute. Slowly add the chicken broth, stirring quickly to avoid lumps, and simmer for 3 minutes, stirring often. Stir in the cream, cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the ravioli and cook until tender but still firm to the bite and the filling is cooked, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Use a skimmer to remove half the ravioli and transfer them to individual plates or a serving platter. Drizzle them with some of the gravy to keep them from sticking together. Drain the remaining ravioli and drizzle with the remaining gravy. Sprinkle with cheese and serve immediately.
Dried Pasta Versus Fresh
Fresh pastas can now be found in the refrigerated cases of many supermarkets, and you may also be able to purchase fresh pasta and pasta sheets at your local Italian market or gourmet shop. Don’t assume that fresh pasta is necessarily preferable to dried, though; for many dishes the smooth, firm surface and chewy texture of dried pasta is the better choice. Reach for the fresh pasta when you are serving a more delicate sauce, such as mild, creamy preparations or one based on butter, which complements its softer texture.
Both types of pasta are made from the same ingredients: flour, salt, and water. However, dried pastas are made with hard wheat flour, called semolina, while fresh pasta generally uses a softer flour that is lower in protein and makes a softer noodle. Some fresh pastas also include egg, which contributes both richness and a warm yellow color.
Because dried semolina pasta doesn’t absorb sauce the way more porous fresh pastas do, they work best with tomato- or oil-based sauces and should be cooked together with the sauce briefly to meld their flavors. Fresh pasta should be cooked quickly (monitor it carefully as it can overcook in a matter of seconds) and then tossed with the sauce in a serving bowl; don’t cook the two together or the dish will become gummy.
4 breakfast servings or 6 appetizer or dessert servings
My grandfather would occasionally make this for us as a special breakfast treat when I was young; now I serve it as an unusual first course for a fancy dinner or even, occasionally, for dessert. It’s very unexpected—and very delicious. Serve it in small portions, as it is quite rich.
2 cups heavy cream
Zest of 1 lemon
Zest of 1 orange
2 tablespoons honey
Pinch of kosher salt
½ recipe of
Fresh Pasta
, cut into fettuccine, or 12 ounces purchased fresh pasta or dried fettuccine (see Note)
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.
In a large, heavy skillet, heat the cream, zests, honey, and salt over medium heat, being careful not to let it boil. Cook at a bare simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 4 minutes.
Meanwhile, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain the pasta well, then add it and the lemon juice to the skillet with the cream sauce. Toss to combine.
Divide the pasta among 4 to 6 shallow bowls and sprinkle with the hazelnuts. Serve immediately.
Note
If using dried pasta, substitute 1 pound dried, cooked in a large pot of salted boiling water until just al dente. Add to the cream sauce as above and cook gently in the sauce for another 3 minutes, or until the pasta has absorbed most of the sauce.
8:
basic recipes
This section provides you with all the fundamentals you need to put a great pasta meal on the table: essential sauces like marinara and béchamel as well as my favorite flavored oils and vinaigrettes I reach for time and again. If you want to try your hand at making your own fresh pasta, this is where you’ll find the recipe. You’ll also find some great pointers on choosing an Italian wine to complement your meal and a few menu ideas to help you round out everything. Enjoy!
makes 1½ pounds
For a richer yet more delicate flavor, nothing beats freshly made pasta. It takes a bit of time—and a pasta-rolling machine—but the results are worth the effort.
It is certainly possible to buy good-quality fresh pasta, either in sheets or cut into noodles. But like making your own bread, making fresh pasta is a very satisfying way to spend a Sunday afternoon. I especially enjoy preparing fresh pasta at the holidays or when I have family over and everyone can get involved.
3 cups all-purpose flour
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
Place the flour in the bowl of a food processor. In a small bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Add the salt and olive oil to the eggs and stir to combine. Add the egg mixture to the food processor with the flour and pulse to combine the ingredients, scraping down the sides once or twice. Continue, with the machine running, until the liquid is evenly distributed, about 1 minute. The dough should stick together if pinched between your fingers and be cornmeal yellow in color. Some of the dough will be clumping together, but it will not form a ball.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gather the dough into a ball and knead gently until the dough is smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes before rolling and shaping as desired.
