Eating with the Seasons

Never one to fear challenging projects in the kitchen, I jumped at the chance to recreate the delicious looking raviolis Giada DeLaurentis made on one of her cooking shows on the Food Network last year. Armed wth fresh basil and the best lemons from Sespe Creek in Southern California, I set to work in my own kitchen, diligently tossing the flour and water for the dough, dicing the shrimp for the stuffing (she uses shredded chicken), mixing the shrimp with the ricotta, an egg from TLC Ranch, salt, pepper, and finely chopping my favorite green, Arugula, from Lakeside Organic Gardens in Watsonville.

Rolling the dough and making the ravioli themselves are quite simple. It's like rolling out a pie crust and cutting it in squares filled with whatever stuffing you like. It takes just a few minutes to cook them in boiling water and Giada tosses hers with a bit of olive oil, lemon zest, thinly sliced basil and seasonings to taste. The result is an exquisite, simple, refreshing dish.  I have made this recipe many times since I first tried them a year ago, mixing up the ingredients for the stuffing as I go. It was the perfect meal last evening for a warm night where you want something refreshing but substantial. I recommend using the sauce she uses and add diced fresh tomatoes when they are season. This goes great with a simple butter lettuce salad on the side tossed with your favorite vinaigrette. Here is my version of the recipe, a little altered from the one on the Food Network website:

Ravioli Caprese

Dough:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 cup very hot water

Filling:

• 3/4 cup whole milk ricotta
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup finely diced shrimp
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh arugula
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Sauce:

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

For the dough:

In a large bowl combine the flour and the water. Using a wooden spoon, stir to combine into a large ball. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 10 minutes.

For the filling:

Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl and stir to combine.

To form the ravioli, cut the dough into 4 evenly sized pieces. The dough should be slightly sticky. Add extra flour as necessary for rolling, but use only a little as necessary. Form each piece into a 2 by 6-inch rectangle. Recover the dough with the plastic wrap.

Lightly dust the work surface and a rolling pin. Working with 1 piece of dough at a time, roll the dough into a 4 by 19-inch rectangle. Place 9 rounded teaspoons of filling about 1-inch apart down the center of the dough. Fold the dough over the filling. Press down around the edges of each of the ravioli with your fingertips. Cut the ravioli into small squares and press down around the edges again with your fingertips to seal. Place the finished ravioli on a baking tray and continue forming the remaining ravioli.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add half the ravioli and cook until the ravioli float stirring occasionally, about 3 to 4 minutes. Drain into a large bowl and cook the remaining ravioli.

Pour the olive oil over the cooked ravioli. Add the basil, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Gently toss to coat and serve immediately.