Raviolis!

Cooking in Manhattan is truly an exercise of mind over matter, or mind over batter. My kitchen, for example, is 4 by 8, when wet. So there is not much to work with and it makes cooking a challenge. I moved into my apartment about 6 months ago and have only just recently felt comfortable in it to start experimenting. The problem, I found almost immediately, is that it must have been built for a southpaw. Everything seems oddly imbalanced, or mirrored. I have felt out in left field, so to speak. So I have parried Mary's requests to guest host her awesome kickass blog (that and, of course, my vastly inferior cooking skills).
 
Nevertheless! I accept your challenge Mary! Sort of.
 
I am a vegetarian. Have been for 23 years. So, Thanksgiving, Christmas meals have been more about the family than about the food. But this Christmas I decided to make one of my favorite meals, Spinach-Ricotta Ravioli. Yum! I know!!
For dough, I of course went straight to Mary's recipe. Having been at the receiving end of this recipe on more than one delicious occasion (even having my hand in it as well!), I know how good her pasta dough is. Simple! Done! well, not that simple. I don't have room for fancy appliances and so I don't have a pasta maker. But never fear! Just put on some good tunes (in this case Ella Fitzgerald!), and go at that dough! Bam!
 

After letting the dough rest for about an hour, I chopped up 3 cups of frozen spinach and mixed it with 1 and 1/2 pounds of Ricotta. I cut the dough in half and started rolling out one half. And rolling out. And rolling out. And rolling out. Actually, I had even to roll out the dough even after I cut it in strips (but don't tell anyone...).
 
I used a pizza cutter to cut the dough. I am not sure if that is the right implement, but it worked well. As this was my first time making Ravioli myself, I did have a beautiful image of perfectly square, Mary-esque raviolis...unfortunately, they were more like polygons and flattened jellyfish but I got better with time. So, I cut the strips, into squares, added a dollop of yummy spinach/ricotta, sealed 'em up, sprinkled some flour on them, and started piling them up in my tupperware for transfer to my parent's house. I saved one and boiled it up for a trial run. You can tell when they are ready because they float.

YUMMMM, I can't wait for dinner! Pretty darn good, if I say so myself. But the real test comes in a couple of hours, when the family digs in...
Thanks Mary! I miss you, hope to see you soon!

Comments

[Klutz in the Kitchen]

You're making me hungry!

[Sara]

Wait!! You're in Manhattan now?? :)