Ravioli (Dough and Choice of 4 Fillings)

Step 1

MAKING THE FILLING: Ricotta Filling#1: In a large bowl, blend all filling ingredients together until smooth, set aside filling until needed.

Step 2

Ricotta Filling#2: In a large bowl, blend all filling ingredients together until smooth, set aside filling until needed.

Step 3

Beef and Spinach Filling: Brown beef and veal in butter with the whole clove of garlic.

Step 4

Remove garlic and let meat mixture cool.

Step 5

Mix spinach, parsley, eggs, cheese and nutmeg into cooled meat until well blended, set aside filling until needed.

Step 6

Sausage Filling: Brown sausage in frying pan, drain fat and allow sausage to cool.

Step 7

When sausage has cooled, mix in eggs and cheese, set aside filling until needed.

Step 8

MAKING THE RAVIOLI DOUGH: Sift flour and salt together.

Step 9

Place flour mixture on a board, making a well in the center of the flour.

Step 10

Drop eggs into the flour well, using your hand or a fork, break the yolks and beat eggs slightly.

Step 11

Combine the eggs and flour together, gradually adding enough warm water to make a stiff dough.

Step 12

Knead dough well, until smooth; cover the dough and let it rest for 15 minutes.

Step 13

Cut dough in half and roll each half of the dough out on a floured board, into a very thin sheet (about 1/16 to 1/8 inch thick).

Step 14

FILLING THE RAVIOLI: Drop about 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoonfuls of filling about 1 1/2 inches apart all along the dough.

Step 15

When the sheet of dough is fully dotted with dabs of filling mixture, cover filling with other sheet of dough.

Step 16

Using your fingers, gently press dough between each dab of filling to seal it.

Step 17

Cut ravioli into squares with a (zig-zag edged) pastry cutter, or very sharp knife.

Step 18

DRYING THE RAVIOLI: Allow ravioli to dry for one hour before cooking.

Step 19

COOKING THE RAVIOLI: Drop ravioli into 6 to 8 quarts of boiling, salted water and cook for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until dough is tender.

Step 20

Remove cooked ravioli from pot carefully with a skimmer or a large slotted spoon, and drain well.

Step 21

Place drained ravioli on a serving platter in layers, alternating layers with your favorite sauce and a sprinkling of grated cheese between each ravioli layer.

Step 22

Serve hot.