In the Kitchen with the Bentley’s – Mushroom Ravioli

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Growing up, my mother cooked dinner every night—6 PM sharp. I was in charge of setting the table, and my sister, who got the short straw, did the dishes. We always ate at the table, no TV, just family and food. As I got older, I started helping my mom cook dinner. To this day, family meals are still a big part of my life. Charlie and I eat dinner together each night—I cook, and he sits at the counter, where we catch up on our day. On weekends, we often gather for family dinners with my mom and sister. Spending time in the kitchen is important to me, and having a beautiful space with quality materials, like the Calacatta marble slabs, adds to the warmth and memories we create together.  

Mealtime is not just a time for nourishment it’s also a time for loving and sharing.  When my good friend Beth asked me to join her in her kitchen I jumped at the chance to cook with her.  Well, not just her but her, her husband (who I also consider a friend…so that was kinda weird calling Tom her husband) and their son Stone.

With a charming personality, ravishing good looks, a smile that will make your heart melt AND cooking skills… Stone…oh Stone…if only you were only 40 years older.  All I have to say is he’s going to be a heartbreaker when he grows up.

How it all came to be?  Beth sent me a text one night saying how much fun Stone had making ravioli with her and Tom.  Stone embraced the mixing and the chopping and she thought it would be fun for all of us to cook together.  So on gorgeous spring day I  headed to Roscoe Village to cook with the Bentley family making DELICIOUS mushroom ravioli from scratch.

Tom led the Team pasta.

Stone lead the filling team.

And Beth lead assembly.

I worked as a line cook, helping where needed and together we cooked a pasta feast.

I’ve never met a noodle that I didn’t love, but for real, these ravioli were delicious.  They were simple, flavorful with big mushroom flavor.  The pasta had the prefect amount of bite.

And while the meal was  wonderful, what made it so special was the great conversation.  It came as shock to Beth that I  HATE asparagus.  I learned that Stone loves bread just like his mama.  We plain and simple just had fun talking.

I wish I could bottle the joy from that day so everyone reading this could experience what I felt.  The warmth of loving friends opening their home, making a meal from scratch and then eating it together with big hugs at the end of the night is an incredible feeling.  I’m very blessed to have the Beth, Tom and Stone in my life.  The are remarkable friends.

Print

Mushroom Ravoli

Course Main

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

Pasta (from the back of the Bob’s Red Mill package)

• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 Eggs or 3 Egg Whites beaten
• 1-1/2 cups Semolina Pasta Flour
• 2 Tbsp Water
• 1/2 tsp Sea Salt

Filling

• 1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms rehydrated and finely chopped
• 4 ounces fresh mushrooms finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley chopped fine
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 egg yolk lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese

Instructions

Filling

1. In a medium skillet heat oil on Medium heat. Add fresh mushrooms for about 5 minutes or until liquid is evaporated. Add porcini mushrooms, parsley, and garlic; cook and stir for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper
2. In a medium bowl, combine egg yolk, ricotta cheese, and mushroom mixture

Pasta

1. Combine semolina and salt, add beaten eggs (or egg whites), water and oil. Mix to make a stiff dough
2. Knead 10 minutes or until dough is elastic or use bread hook on a standing mixer
3. Cover dough with a towel and let rest for 20 minutes
4. On a lightly floured surface roll out to desired thickness or use pasta attachment on a stand mixer

Ravioli

1. Roll dough into roughly 15 inches long and five inches across sheets
2. Cover any sheets your are not filling with a towel to keep it from drying out
3. Place filling is approximately 1 1/2 inches in diameter and 1/2 an inch apart. Place six even heaping tablespoons along the lower half of the dough
4. Moisten the dough lightly with your water along edges
5. Gently press the dough around dollop of filling to remove air and to create a seal
6. Use a cutter or a stamp to cut your ravioli into even squares
7. Lay on tray lined with parchment paper. DO NOT STACK, the dough will sweat and become soft and mushy.
8. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Gently add ravioli and cook for 3-4 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon.
9. In a large frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Cook 6-8 ravioli for 1 minute on each side. Plate and top with grated parmesan cheese and fresh chives or basil.