Shut the stuff up!

When it comes to Italian food we wave our tricolored flag high. Pasta being a staple food in our diet, its not uncommon for us for dish up a little something from that boot-shaped-pizza-capital. In fact, this week's main meal was none other than Homemade Beef Ravioli, a combination of flavorful beef and flaky pasta dough that we found surprisingly tasty. 

Although we chose to make our own dough (recipe below), store-bought fresh pasta sheets like these http://www.tesco.com/superstore/xpi/4/xpi52414094.htm will do just fine.

Beef Ravioli

Ingredients:

Pasta Dough-

• 250 Plain Flour
• 1 Tsp Salt
• 2 Eggs
• Half glass water (This is an estimate but you may need more)

Filling-                           

• 480g cubed/ground beef
• 1 Grated carrot
• 1 Onion
• 1 Garlic clove
• Olive oil
• Salt&Pepper
• Red wine
• Water

Method for pasta

• Stir the salt into flour and make a small hill with the flour
• Dent the top of the hill, crack both eggs into the dent, and mix into the flour
• Blend in water, and mix into dough

Method for filling

• Chop the onion and garlic
• Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a pan, and fry the onions and garlic until soft
• Add meat, carrots, salt and pepper
• Cook for 15-20 minutes
• Splash 1-2 tablespoons of red wine
• Cook for another 15-20 minutes (or until cooked through)
• Put meat mixture into blender, and blend until finely ground

Method for assembling

• Roll the dough into one large sheet, and use a fluted edge circle pastry cutter to cut circles
• Stretch the circles slightly, and brush water around the edge

• Place one teaspoon of meat mixture in the center of the dough, and place another circle of dough on top

• Squeeze the edges and place into a pot of boiling salted water for 3-4 minutes or until they rise to the top

• Serve with melted butter and sage