Ravioli al radicchio rosso

Sunday morning, dull weather. Nothing better for an
inspirational day to try to cook something new. And what an
inspiration!
I felt like having something good …. really good.
However, my fridge was pretty empty and although I might have found a couple of
shops open on Sundays, I am sure that nothing would have satisfied me. So I said
to myself…. I have flour and eggs. I can make some pasta! Better off… filled
pasta. Although I always have spinaches in the freezer, I had no ricotta cheese
for a classic spinach and ricotta filling…. Again looked at the fridge and got
the inspiration. I found some “cicorino rosso” and Gruyere and I thought….let’s
try that. The result was great. Sorry I did not have time to take pictures as my
daughter was starving to such a point that she started to eat ravioli raw
whilst I was waiting for the water to boil!

For the pasta follow the link here:
For 4 persons use 4 eggs and 400 g of
flour
For the filling
1 small onion
1 ball of “radicchio rosso” (around
300g)
100 g of Gruyere
Salt and pepper to your taste

1. Prepare the dough and leave it still for 1h
whilst you prepare the filling.
2. Cut the onion in small slices and fry until
soft in a large pan with some butter
3. Wash the radicchio and cut in small stripes (2
mm). Once the onion is soft add the radicchio to the pan and let it gently fry
making sure that it does not burn. In case turn down the heat, but don’t add
water otherwise the filling will be too soft.
4. Once cooked put in a food mixer with the
grated cheese and blend until it is a purea.
5. Make the ravioli by using a coffee spoon of
the mixture for each one so that the result will be around 3x2
cm.
6. Cook the ravioli in abundant water and serve
with plenty of butter and parmesan.

Pumpkin risotto with almonds and amaretti crumbles

I want to propose to you a new recipe, that has been invented by myself based on the ingredients of a recipe from Emilia Romagna. The result was very good so I have decided to share this with you.



Ingredients for 4 people



320 g of Carnaroli or Roma rice (fundamental, no other rice variety will guarantee the result)

400 g of Pumpkin

1 small onion

1-1,5 liters of vegetable broth

Butter

80g of Amaretti biscuits

50g of almonds

100 g of grated parmesan

Butter, salt and pepper to your taste and as needed



Finely chop the onion and fry in the butter until tender (make sure that it does not burn!!!) in a large saucepan. Add the rice and fry gently for a few minutes before adding a scoopful of broth (that you will have on a low boil heat next to your saucepan). Simmer and wait until the liquid have been absorbed before adding a new scoopful of broth. Make sure that the rice does not stick to the bottom! In the meanwhile prepare the pumpkin. Remove the skin and cut the flesh in dices that you will cook for around 2 min in the microwave (until tender) or in the oven (but be aware that it would take longer). Put the pumpkin in the food processor with a few amaretti biscuits, peeled almonds and parmesan so to form a puree. Calibrate the almonds, amaretti and parmesan content to your taste. The idea is that the taste will be a mixture of different effects. 1st comes the parmesan, then the pumkin with the amaretti and almonds in the background. I have given you the amounts I have employed, but feel free to adjust. The idea is that it should be a perfect combination with none of the different tastes prevailing on the others… When the rice is almost cooked add the pumpkin pulp and a few minutes later a generous amount of butter and remove from the heat. Serve hot and garnish with some chopped parsley and a few almonds flakes.

tagliatelle alle noci (tagliatelle with walnut sauce)

Prepare tagliatelle according to this post If you are lazy or simply don’t have time, buy a good brand at a local Italian delicatessen shop.

For 4 people you will need

400 g of dry tagliatelle (or 600 fresh)
100 g of Swiss Gruyere
100g Butter
16 walnuts
Parmigiano reggiano
Parsley to garnish
Salt and pepper

Open the walnuts and put the kernels in a food processor with the gruyere cut into pieces. Blend until you have a fine powder.
Cook the tagliatelle in salted water. Once cooked transfer in a large sautee pan with the butter and add the “walnut powder” and some black pepper. Mix well and sautee for a few minutes adding some of the cooking water of the tagliatelle in case they are getting too dry. Transfer in the dishes and garnish with grated parmigiano, freshly ground pepper and chopped parsley.