Large Ham-and-Cheese Ravioli with Gorgonzola-Arugula Sauce or Tomato-Cream Sauce
(Sorrentinos de Jamón y Queso con Salsa de Pierino o de Scarparo)
SERVES 4
Cantina Pierino in Buenos Aires offers sorrentinos with a variety of fillings and a long list of sauces to choose from. The house sauce, the Pietrino, is creamy and pungent with gorgonzola and slice arugula. We particulary like the ham-and-cheese ravioli, especially when paired with either the Pierino sauce or the scarparo, a light tomato sauce enriched with cream.
FOR THE RAVIOLI:
3 cups flour
Salt
4 eggs
2 tsp.extra-virgin olive oil
7 oz. mozzarella, cut in 1/4" cubes
1 1/2 oz. baked ham, cut into 1/4" cubes
FOR THE GORGONZOLA-ARUGULA SAUCE:
2 cups heavy cream
3-4 oz. gorgonzola, crumbled
6 tbsp. freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
1 3/4 cups tightly packed arugula leaves,
sliced in thin ribbons
FOR THE TOMATO-CREAM SAUCE:
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 small cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
3 leaves fresh basil
1/4 cup heavy cream
3 tbsp. prepared pesto
3 tbsp. freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. For the ravioli: Sift 2 1/2 cups of flour and ½ tsp. salt together into a mound on a smooth work surface. Make a well in the center of the flour, break eggs into well, and add oil. Beat eggs and oil together with a fork, then continue beating while gradually incorporating flour from inside wall of well while cupping outside of well with your other hand to prevent eggs from leaking out. Continue beating in flour until eggs are no longer runny. Pull remaining flour into center and knead, adding a little more flour if dough is tacky, until dough forms a rough ball. Scrape any flour and dried bits of dough from work surface and your hands, then continue kneading dough until silky smooth, about 10 minutes. Divide dough into 4 equal balls and shape each into a rectangle. Cover dough with plastic wrap and let rest at room for 1 hour. Meanwhile, toss mozarella, ham, and salt to taste together in a medium bowl, cover, and set filling aside.
2. Working with 1 dough rectangle at a time, lightly flour dough, then feed wide side of pasta through the smooth cylinders of a hand-crank pasta machine set on widest setting. Decrease setting by one notch each time, stopping after using the seventh setting. Lay pasta sheets between clean damp dish towels as done.
3. Lay pasta out on a lightly floured surface; cut out 24 3 3/4" rounds, discarding dough scraps. Put 3 tbsp. of the mozzarella-ham filling in center of 12 rounds, moisten edges of dough with water, cover filling with remaining rounds, and press edges together to seal tightly around filling. Trim edges, leaving a 1/2" lip around filling.
4. For the gorgonzola-arugula sauce: Heat cream in a medium saucepan over medium heat until hot. Add gorgonzola and parmiginao and cook, stirring frequently, until sauce is thick, about 40 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm over lowest heat. Add arugula to sauce just before serving.
5. For the tomato-cream sauce: Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add garlic and cook until just beginning to color, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes and basil and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thick and has reduced by about half, 15-25 minutes. Add cream, pesto, and parmigiano and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm over lowest heat.
6. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Working in batches, cook ravioli until tender, about 10 minutes. Using a large slotted spoon, transfer ravioli as done to a clean dish towel to let drain.
7. To serve, put 3 raviolio on each of 4 warm plates. Spoon some of either the gorgonzola-arugula sauce or the tomato-cream over ravioli.
Your Rating & Review