I’ve had a hankering to make fresh pasta again for a while. There is something completely different about fresh pasta that I love, seeing as I can’t eat the shop bought versions as they contain wheat, I have to make my own. Which takes a bit more time and mine never looks as beautiful as it should, but you end up with a meal made with love.
This meal is inspired by Mediterranean flavours. There has been a lot of chatter about the Med diet lately. The scientific research shows us that eating his style diet hold benefits for heart health, type 2 diabetes, Parkinsons disease, Alzhiemers, high blood pressure, some cancers and obesity. The Med diet has an emphasis plant based foods -so plenty of fruit and vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans and legumes. Including olive oil instead of butter, eating less red meat, processed foods and saturated fats. Plus moderate amounts of red wine. I like that bit.
Fish is eaten regularly in he Med, including oily fish and this is something I’m always looking to include more often in my families mealtimes. So thinking Italy and salmon led to me Salmon Ravioli. How hard could it be? It turns out my pasta skills need a little improving, wheat free flour is an art form to work with at time! I could so do with going on a pasta course.
I completely enjoyed making these and my children loved the fresh pasta. They joined in and made their own pasta creations with some left over dough too. Another Mediterranean touch – get the whole family involved in creating the meal and make it an event!
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 100g wheat free flour - I used dietary specials (or normal plain flour)
- Water to bind
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 onion finely diced
- 3 salmon, fillets skin removed and cut into cubes
- 3 tablespoons dry white wine
- 1 tablespoon chopped chives
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano cheese
- 1 egg
- salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoons lemon zest
- 1 courgette, grated
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 glass white wine
- juice of 1 lemon
- 150g finely chopped mushrooms
- Heat the oil, sauté the onion. Now add the salmon and cook for a few minutes.
- Add the white wine and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Now cool and place in a food processor. Add the chives, egg, cheese, lemon zest and seasoning.
- Set aside and make the dough.
- Mix up the pasta dough. Add enough water to bind it together. Knead gently and keep it covered with a damp tea towel.
- Now roll out 1/2 of the dough using plenty of flour on the work surface and rolling pin. You can use a pasta machine but I had an argument with mine so I preferred the rolling pin.
- Roll it out into a long thin rectangle.
- Place 1/2 tsps of salmon filling about 5cms apart down the long side of the dough rectangle.
- Fold the other half of the dough over to cover the filling.
- Press down around the filling on each section. Then cut into ravioli and use a fork to press the edges together.
- Place onto a baking tray and cover with a damp tea towel.
- Make the sauce by cooking the mushrooms in the oil, add the courgette, wine and lemon juice. Simmer.
- Heat a pan of water to the boil. Cook about 10 ravioli at a time, by bringing the water back to a simmer and cooking for 3-4 minutes. You know they are cooked when they float to the surface.
- Serve with the sauce on top and garnish with parmigiana cheese.
This post is being entered in the To Tuscany Recipe Competition.
“I want to win a week in one of your Tuscany Villas!”