UNICORN RAVIOLI

INGREDIENTS FOR PASTA DOUGH:
2 cups Semolina Flour *
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup warm water
​flour for dusting

Ravioli Video:

Filling Video:

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Measure all ingredients onto a clean work surface. Measure water in a separate bowl and keep a little extra water on the side in case you need it. 

2. Using your index and middle finger (see video) start mixing the water into the flour and salt. 

3. Knead the dough for 10-15 minutes until a smooth dough forms. Add more water if necessary, 1 Tbsp at a time.

4. Shape dough into a ball and wrap in plastic. Let it rest on the counter for 30 minutes. This is a good time to make the filling and sauce. 

5. Unwrap the plastic and cut dough into 4 sections. Make sure you wrap the remaining dough back into the plastic so it does not dry out. 

6. Sprinkle some flour on the counter and start rolling the dough out.

7. Keep rotating the dough to ensure it not sticking to the counter and keep rolling it out trying to keep it in a rectangle or square shape. 

8. Keep rolling out until the dough is so thin that you can see your hand through the dough. 

9. Using the cookie cutter start cutting out shapes until there is no more dough left over. 

10. Make sure you wrap up any reaming dough in plastic until it is all used up. 

11. To make the egg wash, whisk one egg with 1-2 Tbsp of water until it is all mixed up.

12. Use a piping bag or ziplock bag with the corner cut off to fill the ravioli shapes with the ravioli filling. Ensuring to leave a little room around the entire unicorn shape so that the "lid" can adhere to the bottom.

13. Brush egg wash around the edges of the unicorn head and place "lid" on top. Using the tip of a fork crimp the edges so that none of the filing can escape. 

14. Let the unicorn heads dry for at least 10 minutes on a drying rack or of you don't have one just turn the heads after 5 minutes so that both side are exposed to air.

15. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add a dash of oil and a handful of salt. Carefully place unicorn heads into the boiling water (please ask for help from an adult) and boil for 4-6 minutes.* 

16. Enjoy!

TIP: *:Al Dente" is a term for cooking pasta. In order to cook the pasta "al dente" it needs to cook until it still has a little bite in it. It is a fine line between the pasta being chewy and over cooked. Test the pasta while cooking occasionally. I use a fork and see if I can cut into it, If it cuts easily I call it done.

Authentic Italian Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:
2-3 Tbsp  olive oil 
2-3 crushed fresh garlic cloves
small bunch of fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped 
28-32 oz can of crushed tomatoes 
1½ tsp salt
2-3 large leaves of fresh basil

​Instructions:

1. Pour the oil into a large saute pan (not a deep pot) over medium high heat. Crush the garlic and add it to the oil (if you want a spicy sauce, you can add some hot pepper, fresh or flakes, at this point). Saute the garlic until it just starts to brown, then add the parsley.
2. Turn the heat up to high. Now add the tomatoes, and quickly cover with the lid for about 30 seconds, until the squirting subsides. Stir with a wooden spoon and lower the heat a little. It is important that this sauce is cooked at a fast simmer, as it is cooked briefly.
3. Add the salt and continue to simmer at a fast pace, and stir often.
4. The sauce will thicken quickly, so do not overcook it, and have it become too thick; about 5 to 7 minutes should be sufficient.
5. Taste the sauce, if it doesn't taste delicious, it probably just needs a little more salt. Turn off the heat and add the fresh basil (I tear mine into pieces). Also, unless absolutely necessary, do not wash your basil. Wipe it with a damp paper towel instead, so the water doesn't ruin the flavor and aroma.