Ravioli Love!!

Remember when I made Butternut Squash Ravioli and I hand rolled the pasta? It was so good that my husband was inspired to make sure Santa brought me a pasta maker on Christmas morning...resulting from the threat that we would never eat this dish again if I didn't have a machine to roll the dough for me...long story short...Santa delivered!

Well I finally made Butternut Squash Ravioli again and it was even more delicious with "machine rolled", aka, thin rolled pasta. And my arms didn't ache for days afterwords. I highly, highly recommend a pasta machine for all pasta lovers everywhere!!

Needless to say, we are now hooked on homemade ravioli. So I've been doing some experimenting and came up with this gem of a recipe. Roasted Asparagus Ravioli is a new fav around here!

But I'm not naive and I know that most people haven't taken the crazy plunge into Pasta Machine ownership, and as good as it is...hand rolling is just too much work. So I've given a non-ravioli option to this recipe. All the same flavors, much easier preparation.

I hope you'll give it a try...ravioli or pasta version! Enjoy!!


ROASTED ASPARAGUS RAVIOLI OR PASTA
(Mindi Original)

For the Roasted Asparagus Pesto:
1 bundle Asparagus; washed and trimmed
2 T. olive oil
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lemon
3 cloves garlic
½ C. pine nuts
salt & pepper
½ C. Parmesan cheese
¼ C. cream

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Spray at baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Toss the asparagus with olive oil and arrange in a single layer on prepared baking sheet.
3. Sprinkle with zest, juice, pine nuts and salt & pepper. Place the garlic cloves anywhere on the baking sheet.
4. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the asparagus is fork tender.
5. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
6. Place in a food processor or blender along with the Parmesan cheese and cream. Pulse or blend until a thick paste forms.

For the Alfredo Sauce:
¼ C. butter
1 ½ C. heavy cream
1 C. Parmesan cheese

1. In a medium sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat.
2. Add the cream and bring to a simmer.
3. Add the cheese and stir until melted.
4. Serve immediately over pasta or ravioli

For the Pasta Dough:
4 eggs
3 ½ C. flour
1 t. salt
1-2 T. water

1. In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Mix until a dough forms.
2. Kneed several minutes until the dough is well combined.
3. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest for 20-30 minutes.
4. Using a pasty machine, roll out and cut.

For the Asparagus Ravioli:
1 recipe Roasted Asparagus Pesto
1 recipe Pasta Dough
1 recipe Alfredo Sauce

1. Roll out the dough into long flat sheets. (about 6-8)
2. Spoon 1 T. dollops of the Asparagus Pesto onto one of the pasta sheets, spacing about 1 ½ to 2 inches apart.
3. Cover with another pasta sheet. Cut out the ravioli with a round or square pasta cutter. (repeat with other sheets)
4. Pinch the edges of each ravioli.
5. Boil in salted water for 3-4 minutes or until the pasta is aldente.
6. Serve with Alfredo sauce.

For the Asparagus Chicken Pasta:

1 recipe Asparagus Pesto
1 recipe Alfredo Sauce
2 C. shredded or grilled chicken
1 lb. pasta; cooked aldente

1. Toss the hot cooked pasta with the Asparagus Pesto and Chicken.
2. Right before serving, top with some Alfredo Sauce.