Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Sundays and Cooking with Joanna

It's not every Saturday that I go to the market and not every Sunday that I get to spend the afternoon cooking with Joanna, but when they happen...well...life is good.

This past Sunday was one of those fun days. Joanna's friend Jason picked me up and the three of us whipped up (okay, not quite "whipped" as we spend at least three hours in the kitchen) a delicious dinner. Jo wanted to use her new ravioli press. By the way, the one we ordered for her birthday, last June - the attachment for her Marcato Atlas Pasta Maker never made it to Canada. After seven months, she cancelled the order and went out and bought the one you see here.


Joanna in her "Zen" moment

While it's true that we didn't spend the entire three hours making ravioli - it just felt like it. And, everyone loved the Mushroom Ravioli in Sherry Cream Sauce. My back is broken from hunching over the pasta press, gently adding the filling (by the half teaspoon) to 8 dozen ravioli. In fact, I felt like those caricature hunched-back witches from Hansel & Gretel and other fairy tales.

In my personal world...I'd lay the long pasta sheets flat on a floured surface, spoon some filling in dollops down the center of one long side, brush a little water around each mound, fold over the dough, press and cut with a knife! Done! That said, look how pretty this dish looks... (no time to sprinkle some fresh thyme leaves on top...everyone was starving)

We also made other wonderful dishes like...


Crispy Eggplant with Hot Caper Vinaigrette
(I think this was my favorite)


Stuffed Artichokes also delicious

and all served with a big salad and a couple of loaves of Pain d'Epi. Jo wanted a lesson and who am I to refuse. Not bad for a first attempt, don't you think?

And a pretty neat dish to share with Presto Pasta Night, if I do say so myself.

9 comments:

LisaRene said...

Lovely vegetarian meal! The caper vinaigrette is a wonderful touch. The eggplant looks fried to perfection, nice and crisp!

Truly you have motivated me to attempt my own pasta, and soon!

I've shared your presto pasta night roundup's with some non-blogging friends and they were very, very impressed at all the unique pasta dishes that result, in particular your stained glass pasta.

I did e-mail you a submission for your next roundup, hope your received it!

Finla said...

Love the ravioli maker.

Peter M said...

Ruth, a feast indeed. If I were you, I'd have Joanne move in!

Ruth Daniels said...

Lisa, I did get your tasty leek pasta - I love it.

Happy Cook, it's a little too finiky for me. I can't wait to get a KitchenAid attachment. Until then, I'll stick to my quick and easy version.

Peter...why do you think we moved to Halifax?

Johanna GGG said...

cooking is such a lovely sociable way to spend time together and it is just as nice to share the food at the end of it - and yours does look a wonderful feast

NĂºria said...

Dio Mio!!! This one is more suitable here :D

Ruth, this ravioli are sinful to me, oooohhh what a great stuffing... I'm sure they were TOO MUCH♥
Never made the pasta myself but if must be worth the effort!!!

giz said...

I've been really jonesing for artichokes for a couple of weeks and every time I go to the market they're all too small. Wish the bigger ones would start coming out.

Katie B. said...

What beautiful ravioli!! You can't really go wrong with a sherry cream sauce! :)

Anonymous said...

Matzoh lasagna! That's such a cool idea. I'd love to try it.