I have fond memories of curling up on the basement stairs, hanging over the railing, watching my great-great, very distant I’m-not-quite-sure-how-we’re-related cousin, Alfred, make ravioli. I’ll never forget the way the ravioli rolling pin zipped out dozens of ravioli in a heartbeat.
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 150 ravioli | 2 hours |
| Cook Time | Passive Time |
| 5 minutes | 2 days |
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I have fond memories of curling up on the basement stairs, hanging over the railing, watching my great-great, very distant I’m-not-quite-sure-how-we’re-related cousin, Alfred, make ravioli. I’ll never forget the way the ravioli rolling pin zipped out dozens of ravioli in a heartbeat.
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Ingredients
For the filling:
- 3 pork chops , grilled and cooled (bone-in)
- 1 lb frozen spinach (chopped), defrosted
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup Parmesan (grated)
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/4 cup olive oil
For the dough:
- 2 batches homemade pasta dough
Servings: ravioli
Units:
Instructions
Day 1:
- Grill up pork chops for dinner. Make three extra for the ravioli filling. Move frozen, chopped spinach to fridge to defrost.
Day 2:
- Debone and grind the pork chops. Next, mix pork with spinach, eggs, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, nutmeg, pepper, milk, and olive oil. Adjust consistency with more milk if needed. It should be thick but easily spreadable.
- Next, roll out your homemade pasta dough nice and thinly. Here’s Alfred’s. And the back of my head. Hello three year-old head! (I look so blond).
- Continually dust with flour as you roll the dough out. Before you spread with filing, add a healthy amount of flour beneath the dough so the ravioli do not stick. The sheet of dough should easily slide around on the table, even as big as I rolled it. Proceed to spread with filling…
- Cover half of the sheet with the filling – in a very thin layer. If you add too much the ravioli won’t seal.
- Fold the plain side over the filled side. Press all over with the palm of your hands to remove air bubbles, starting in the middle of the folded side, working up down and out until the whole thing is patted. Air pockets will make the ravioli burst when cooked.
- Next, line up the ravioli rolling pin in order to get the most ravioli out of the piece of dough you’re working with. Slowly roll and press firmly to crimp the ravioli well.
- Next, take a ravioli wheel and cut along the center of the crimp marks.
- Transfer to a flour or cornmeal coated cookie sheet.
- Now you have three choices: 1. Cook immediately in gently boiling (almost simmering) salted water for about 5 minutes (depending on how thick you rolled the dough). 2. Freeze on the cookie sheet. Transfer to zip lock baggies and return to freezer. 3. Let them dry overnight, turning once. Then freeze in zip lock baggies. Frozen ravioli take a little longer to cook. Ravioli dried overnight take even longer. Taste test to be sure they’re done. The most wonderful thing about Alfred is that he dressed up for the occasion. Everyone should wear a tie when making ravioli.
Recipe Notes
Here’s my recommendation for timing:
Day one: Eat pork chops for dinner. Save leftovers.
Day two: Make the dough and filling. Refrigerate.
Day three: Roll the dough and make the ravioli. Dry overnight, turning once.
Day four: Freeze.