Spinach & Mushroom Ravioli with Vodka Sauce

This past Friday I spent a few hours making spinach and mushroom ravioli with vodka sauce and garlic bread. Creating the ravioli took a rather long time but was worth every second. A quick disclaimer: I use recipes as guides as opposed to rules so many of the measurements are estimations.  

The Recipes:
Pasta Dough(found on foodnetwork.com)
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
4 whole eggs plus 1 yoke
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
some salt
1 or 2 tablespoons of water

Directions:
Put the flour on a clean dry work surface. Make a hole (this is also called a well) in the center of the flour pile that is about 8 inches wide (bigger is definitely better here). Crack all of the eggs and the yolk into the hole and add the olive oil, salt and water.

Using a fork beat the eggs together with the olive oil, water and salt. Using the fork, begin to incorporate the flour into the egg mixture; be careful not to break the sides of the well or the egg mixture will run all over your board and you will have a big mess! Also, dont worry about the lumps. When enough flour has been incorporated into the egg mixture that it will not run all over the place when the sides of the well are broken, begin to use your hands to really get everything well combined. If the mixture is tight and dry, wet your hands and begin kneading with wet hands. When the mixture has really come together to a homogeneous mixture, THEN you can start kneading.

When kneading it is VERY important to put your body weight into it, get on top of the dough to really stretch it and not to tear the dough. Using the heels of your palms, roll the dough to create a very smooooooth, supple dough. When done the dough should look VERY smooth and feel almost velvety. Kneading will usually take from 8 to 10 minutes for an experienced kneader and 10 to 15 for an inexperienced kneader. Put your body weight into it, you need to knead! This is where the perfect, toothsome texture of your pasta is formed. Get in there and have fun!

When the pasta has been kneaded to the perfect consistency, wrap it in plastic and let rest for at least 1 hour. If using immediately do not refrigerate.

Roll and cut the pasta into desired shape.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/anne-burrell/chef-annes-all-purpose-pasta-dough-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback


Ravioli Filling(my personal recipe)
Ingredients:
~2 cups of mushrooms (minced)
~2 cups fresh spinach (minced)
3 cloves of garlic (minced and crushed)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp white wine

1/4 tsp lemon juice(fresh is best)
salt
pepper
Italian spices
bay leaf

16 oz. Ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup Romano cheese
1 egg


Directions:
In a large nonstick frying pan heat olive oil on medium-high heat add in garlic cook until just golden brown. Add mushrooms to the pan, saute. Add spinach quickly followed by wine and cover for a minute or two to allow the spinach to steam. Remove cover, mix in lemon juice, add the bay leaf and various spices. Lower the heat, allow the mixture to simmer for a few minutes until 90% of the liquid is gone.
While the mixture is simmering in a large bowl mix together the cheeses and egg and more spices. After the stove top mixture is done reducing (don't forget to remove the bay leaf) add to the cheese mixture, mix together quickly so the egg does not cook.

How to Make the Ravioli (be prepared this takes a long time) 
Lightly flour a clean dry work surface, roll out about 1/4 of your dough. Cut the sheet of dough into two similar sized planes. On one sheet place heaping teaspoon sized balls of filling at about 2 inch intervals. Get a small bowl and put water in it. Dip your clean finger in the water the dab water around each ball of filling(this acts like a glue). Lay the second sheet of dough on top of the the first sheet with the filling balls (you may need to re-roll the second sheet a bit as the dough has a tendency to contract). Use the side of your hand to press the dough down around the filling balls. Then use your fingers to really press the to sheets of dough together so that you don't have exploding raviolis. If you have one use a ravioli cutter (looks like a tiny, zigzaggy pizza cutter) to separate into individual raviolis (if you don't have a ravioli cutter I imagine that a knife would work but I don't know as I have a ravioli cutter). Continue this process until you have the desired amount of raviolis.
To cook the ravioli bring as much water as you would use to cook a pound of pasta to a boil. Add the ravioli and watch as they cook rather quickly. Ravioli are done when they float to the top. Also, I cook the vodka sauce and pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees while waiting for the water to boil.


Vodka Sauce (my personal recipe)   
*This is a double recipe. I always make a lot since I like to keep it around for a few days because its so delicious. When I make this with Penne I often add mushrooms.
Ingredients
6 Tbsp olive oil
4 cloves of Garlic (minced and crushed)
1 medium-large onion (finely chopped)
2 28 oz. cans of whole plum tomatoes (mostly drained then coarsely chopped)
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 cup vodka
~24 fresh basil leaves(must be fresh and coarsely chopped)
Italian spices
salt
pepper

Directions
Heat olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan on medium high heat. Add garlic, cook till golden brow. Add onions cook till lightly brown. Mix in tomatoes, red pepper flakes and vodka, bring to boil. Lower heat and allow to simmer for 10 minuets. Mix in basil and spices, add cream. EAT!


Garlic Bread
Ingredients
Bread (I used a hardy whole grain bread, but u can use Italian bread, a baguette or whatever bread suits your fancy)
olive oil
a couple garlic cloves
Romano cheese

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut the bread into slices, lay the slices on a cookie sheet, drizzle with a little olive oil. Place in oven for about 7 minutes or until golden brown. While the bread is in the oven peal the garlic cloves and cut in half. After the bread is done toasting, while it is still very hot, rub each piece with the cut side of a garlic clove, infusing the bread with flavor. The hot bread cooks the garlic a bit aiding the infusion. Sprinkle with Romano cheese.

I found that I had some left over ravioli filling and untoasted bread slices. So for lunch today I lightly toasted the bread so that it was crispy but not browned at all. Then I smeared on some ravioli filling, topped it with a little vodka sauce and put in back in the toaster oven for a few minuets. It was quick, easy and delicious!