Seared Prosciutto and Mushroom Ravioli with Spicy Tomato Dipping Sauce

by Nancy Caivano

Seared Prosciutto and Mushroom Ravioli
with Spicy Tomato Dipping Sauce

Serves 6-10

Ingredients:

For Pasta:
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup water
2 eggs
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt

For Filling:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 shallot, minced
5 cloves garlic, chopped (or 1 tbsp jar chopped garlic)
1/2 lb prosciutto, finely chopped
2 cups mixed mushrooms (variety your
preference), thinly sliced
Salt and pepper
1 cup ricotta
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1-1/2 cups grated pecorino Romano cheese (or Parmesan), divided
1 egg beaten with 2 tbsp water for egg wash

For Sauce:
4 tbsp. Olive oil
6 cloves garlic, chopped (or 2 tsp. Jar chopped garlic)
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 tsp. Red pepper flakes (add more or less
depending on how hot you want it)
3 hot Italian cherry peppers, chopped
2 cans crushed tomatoes
1 cans tomato purée
1 cup red wine
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup chiffonade basil

4 tbsp olive oil

Method:

Begin pasta:
In a large bowl with wooden spoon, stir 2-1/4 cups flour with remaining ingredients to make a stiff dough. On a well-floured surface knead dough until smooth and not sticky. Wrap dough with plastic wrap and let rest 30 minutes.

Make filling:
Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallot and garlic and sauté until garlic just begins to brown. Add prosciutto and sauté 5 minutes more. Add mushrooms and cook until mushrooms turn golden brown, about 10—15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, transfer to a bowl and cool to room temp.

When cooled, add ricotta, egg, parsley and 1 cup Romano. Combine well and season with salt and pepper.

Continue pasta:
Cut pasta dough in half. Roll out both halves of pasta dough very thinly (about 1/8") on a floured board. Cover one half with a damp towel to prevent drying. Drop filling by tbsp, about 1" apart on one sheet pasta dough. Brush other sheet of pasta with egg wash. Gently place second sheet of pasta, egg side down. On top of first sheet. Gently press around filling to seal. Using a ravioli, biscuit cutter, large cookie cutter, or a sharp knife, cut ravioli. Let cut ravioli rest 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare sauce:
In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion. Sauté until just beginning to brown. Add red pepper flakes and cherry peppers. Sauté for 10 minutes more. Add tomatoes, purée and wine. Stir to combine. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low. Partially cover. Simmer for 30 minutes. Add herbs. Simmer 30 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep hot.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the ravioli and boil until the ravioli are al dente. Drain, and rest on clean cotton kitchen towels. Dry gently.

Heat remaining olive oil in a large skillet until very hot. Carefully add ravioli and cook about 5 minutes on each side, until very golden brown. Drain on paper towels and serve immediately with hot sauce.

Note:
You might want to make smaller "bite-size" ravioli for appetizers. Drop the filling by teaspoons instead of tablespoons, and use a small glass just a bit larger than the filling to cut the ravioli, or you can cut small squares.

This recipe is easily doubled or tripled. You can freeze ravioli (before boiling) by placing on a baking sheet lined with plastic wrap or parchment paper. Wrap well with both plastic wrap and foil. When frozen, place in zip top plastic bags.