Thank you so much for all the very nice words about the bonnets and the bonnet pattern orders! I really appreciate them — thank you! To get out of the studio a little bit, I had myself a little kitchen-putter yesterday. I decided to make homemade ravioli. I found my old pasta book, Pasta: Creating, Celebrating, and Saucing by Constance Jones. I bought it about fifteen years ago when I first made pasta by hand, back in Missoula. I really like this book (and it's super cheap used — like, $0.01) so I recommend it if you're interested in making your own pasta. I used the recipes for Classic Pasta all'uovo (pasta dough with eggs), Savory Cheese Filling, and Bolognese Sauce. These are the same recipes we used fifteen years ago, too. Isn't it strange when you taste something that you haven't had in years and years and years and it really does take you back, as they say? I felt like I was back on South 6th West. The sauce has a very distinct taste — probably my favorite bolognese sauce.
Not that steaming bolognese sauce photographs very well, but you know.
Ravioli was and still is one of my favorite foods. I'm sure you know it's one of the four food groups: Ravioli, lasagna, stuffed shells, and milk (like Buddy the Elf's four food groups: Candy, candy canes, candy corn, and syrup). In our family, anyway. I remember my mom and my grandma making pasta by hand but only very rarely, and only for special occasions (I forgot my sister made ravioli for Christmas this year and they were delicious). And I remember thinking even then, when I was just a tiny little Italianish girl, that landsakes it seemed like a whole boatload of work for a few raviolis. . . .
And — yeah. It still is. It took me four and a half hours to make dinner.
I'm slow. But, you know. This is not a means-to-an-end kind of thing. This is an I-feel-like-spending-an-entire-day-cooking sort of thing. Which I did, and which it was. And so I like cold, rainy, wet, dark days sometimes. If there's ravioli at the end of them.
I'm not hard to please, I don't think.
I like that picture.
That was a good dinner.
Um. Yummy......
enjoy them...they sure are pretty, of course. no surprise there. xo
I like that picture, too! :) Ravioli is on the dinner menu for this month, but I'm not sure I'm prepared to spend 4.5 hours making it--oh, well, the kids will be on Spring Break--maybe I'll put them to work! Looks delicious!
that looks so fantastic. my husband is from italy, and fresh pasta is something we keep saying we're going to make one of these days, but it never happens. you've absolutely inspired me to just jump into it the next time we have a rainy day!
I like your ravioli picture too! It looks beautifully yummy and fresh!
Love the towel in the ravioli picture. I think it is so cool that you have a ravioli puncher thingy - As you can see I am really technical and don't make homemade ravioli!
If only they made scratch and smell computers!! They look wonderful. Our family makes ravioli every Christmas and we had a couple of ravioli making parties last years for our friends. My grandmother (from Italy) used to roll out the dough by hand, but we use a pasta machine. We cut them out separately and "pinch" them closed with forks...my mouth is watering now!
Loved the ravioli step by step photos. Does look supremely yummy. My one homemade pasta experience was.. I love stuffed manicotti. So, I found a recipe where you make a noodle-y batter and pour the batter in a hot pan and cook it like a crepe. Then you put your cheese filling in and roll it up and lay them all in a pan of sauce, then cover them, then cheese and bake. They were the best ever. Wonder why I never made them again? :-)
This looked and sounded so good, I clicked on the Amazon link in your blog and checked it out. While there are some for $0.01, there's also a new one for $238.02! LOL!!! Had to share that. Your ravioli punch is really neat, do you recall where you got it?
Oh my god...homemade ravioli! I so want some, but the work involved!! Four and a half hours and then all those dishes to wash, I dunno...maybe I could just come to your house for dinner? LOL Great pics. I have a pasta machine I've never touched. I only made fresh pasta once in my life in a cooking class in high school, but I remember how GOOD it tasted and how I swore I'd make my own someday. Great inspiration!
Looks Delicious. Always wanted to try making my own pasta ... but ravioli may be a little out of my league and time restraint :P. Maybe once in a while for a treat. Could you make a bunch and freeze perhaps??
Right now, I could use any delicious, made with love, home cooking. My poor family will have to fend for itself, because this cold is knocking me out.
Isn't it torturous to see something amazing and good, like your food, and be too wimpy and sneeze-y to follow a simple recipe?!
(whining and sniffling... oh, I am a treat... forgive me)
yummmmmy.
My husband's grandmother was from Italy and your pictures took me back to her kitchen when we were first married. Many years ago! How I wish I could go back again.
Thank You for taking the time to do this lovely blog and all the pictures. I look forward to your posts. This looks delish, I make your Mom's sauce all the time now and I always used to buy jar sauce.
That's it, I am going to start eating at your house. (Of course the commute every night from AZ would not work). Looks delicious.
Heaven!!!!
mmmmm yum! I bet it WAS goood. I think I would have been eating the stuffing mixture by the spoonful.
Come to my place and cook Alicia! :)
nummers. homemade pasta is fun. i recall my chandelier once had noodles hanging from it while they dried. your talents are endless. thank you for being a bright spot in my day.
There's something about having a long, leisurely afternoon in the kitchen to prepare a good meal, isn't there? The process is so deeply satisfying, the results so incredibly delicious.
I always feel as if I'm right on track on such days.
Oooh, scrumptious! And you have the loveliest pictures. It felt like the ravioli was right there- I think it was taunting me ;)
I think those dinners that take all afternoon to fix always taste the best. This definitely looks worth the effort.
And, it really looks like a wonderful dinner.
Num num num..looks soooo good! What a wonderful way to spend an afternoon... in your happy kitchen cooking such a yummy meal!
Many years ago, my darling husband tried his hand at making pasta. He made it a few times and it was delicious. I've been begging him to make it again ever since. Your ravioli has me drooling again.
Your ravioli cutter is gorgeous! I have one of the pans. I'm home on Monday, so maybe I'll take the time to make homemade ravioli. The weather looks like it will be rain.