Published by mel on April 28, 2008 in entree, recipe and sides & bites.
I learned a valuable lesson on Saturday night: Don’t start making ravioli 30 minutes before your guests arrive. Especially if you’re not dressed yet. Especially if your shopping bags are littered on the floor and counter top. Especially if your guests are punctual.
Thank God my guests were not very punctual. I pinched the last ravioli together 5 minutes after they were supposed to arrive and I still had time to throw on some clothes and makeup.
The ravioli in question were stuffed with a blend of peas, whole milk ricotta and a pinch of cardamom. I really wanted the creamy mixture to shine so instead of drenching them in sauce, I poached the ravioli in a concentrated Parmesan broth and served them in that. I think this is my new favorite method for serving ravioli. The chicken stock and Parmesan rinds had been simmering for about 3 hours by the time we ate and the stock turned a deep, nut brown color. The whole apartment smelled of Parmesan. It was wonderful!
And the ravioli were really good. Creamy and pea-y and a nice contrast to the tangy broth. The meal turned out great and I’ll definitely make it again. Though next time I hope to give myself a bit more of a head start.
Continue reading ‘ricotta & pea ravioli in parmesan broth’
Published by mel on April 16, 2008 in entree and recipe.
We’re experiencing a freak cold front down here (55 degrees in April? What?) and I was craving a weather-appropriate meal. Mac and Cheese is the ultimate comfort food. It’s creamy and cheesy and has the satisfying crunch of oven-crisped pasta. I wanted to make healthier weekday update to the classic that omitted the cream and introduced some vegetables.
So, I decided on peas because they looked vibrant and spring-like and added some basil for color and freshness. I also threw some Thai chiles in there for kick. I subbed skim evaporated milk for cream, but kept the Gruyere cheese so that the dish would still have the rounded richness of traditional mac and cheese.
I was really happy with the final product. Overall, it felt light while still retaining it’s comfort-food-ness. The Thai chiles made up for any flavor that might have been lost by omitting the cream and butter. Next time I make it, I might also add some crisp turkey bacon for that delicious smokiness.
Continue reading ‘cheesy pasta & peas (or, grown-up mac & cheese)’
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