Mushroom Ravioli with Leeks & Guanciale in Butter Sauce

 

As the week comes to an end you may be looking for some culinary inspiration this weekend.  Maybe for a special Saturday night dinner at home? Family dins on Sunday? Or maybe you just want something delicious to look at before you spend your weekend dining out.  Either way, this is by far one of the best stuffed pastas I have ever had - not just made - but ever had anywhere.  My brother is a big mushroom ravioli fan and after he told me he made some a couple weeks ago, I couldn't get the craving out of me.  I decided to make a batch for a special birthday dinner for hubs and they were just delightful.  The salty and slightly crisp guanciale, mixed with the beautifully brown mushrooms and creamy leeks and butter sauce is a combination to die for.

Ingredients: serves 4

For the filling:

600g assorted mushrooms

2 shallots (minced)

1 large leek (chopped)

1 1/2 tbsp thyme leaves (chopped)

1/2 stick unsalted butter

3 garlic cloves (minced)

3/4 cup ricotta (buffalo ricotta from the village cheesemonger is best obvi)

1 egg

kosher salt

EVOO

For the pasta:

Fresh pasta dough - recipe here

or use wonton wrappers

For the "sauce":

1 stick unsalted butter

8 oz guanciale (chopped into 1/2 inch pieces) 

200 of the 600g assorted mushrooms

1 large leek (sliced thinly) 

chopped italian parsley for garnish

Begin by making your filling.  In a pan, heat up the butter on medium heat and then add your mushrooms.  Do not crowd the mushrooms.  Let the mushrooms brown and then stir to brown and cook the other side.  Once they have a nice golden color, lightly salt them - remove from pan and set aside setting 1/3rd of the mushrooms separate to reserve for the "sauce".  In the same pan, add your shallots, leek, thyme and garlic and a pinch of salt.  Add a tbsp of EVOO and cook the mixture - stirring frequently, until the leeks are nice, soft and translucent. Mince 2/3rds of your cooked mushrooms while the rest of the mixture is cooking.  When the leek mixture is done - add it to a bowl with the mushrooms and stir it together along with the egg and ricotta.  Set mixture aside.

Next - make your pasta dough following the recipe link above.  Roll out the sheets and cut the dough into rounds for the ravioli.   If you are using the cheat route and using wonton wrappers you can skip this step.

Scoop a tsp of filling into the middle of one pasta round.  Using your fingers, spread some warm water around the edge of the round and then press another round on top making sure to seal out any air.

When your ravioli are filled - set aside to make the "sauce"

In a large deep bottom pan over medium heat, cook your guanciale until just slightly crisp.  Remove from the pan and set aside.  Add in your leeks and cook until soft.  Remove and set aside.  In the same pan, melt your butter over medium heat - when the butter is melted add back in the leeks, reserved mushrooms, and guanciale and keep warm.

Cook the ravioli for 2 minutes in a pot of boiling salted water.  Add the cooked ravioli to the large pan and gently mix in with the butter, guanciale, leek mixture. 

Serve Immediately with a sprinkle of chopped fresh parsley and some Parmesan (optional)

Enjoyyyyy!

xo Chef Natty