Thursday, October 26, 2006

Don't serve ravioli to an Italian

Two of my women guests were put to work on the antipasti while I got the bread in the oven. Doesn't it look good? Unfortunately it was the second course that started the downhill slide. What was so slippery? Homemade ravioli. I have a pasta press and have made noodles but ravioli has always been a favorite of mine so here was my chance.

Yikes, not as easy as it looks on TV. A few exploded but I did manage three for each serving. Oh, and it's back to school for me to learn how to make a browned butter sauce. It was more of a burnt butter sauce by the time it was served. Sage leaves were tossed in and they were actually quite good, the crunch was relief to the slippery little pillows. Pix? No way. By this time I couldn't bear to get the camera.

Michael Chiarello lied when he said make the dough as thin as you can. They looked more like dimsum than ravioli and an Italian at the table said his mother would use a fork to crimp the sides closed. Good suggestion because I will try this again. Our mother didn't raise quitters--no matter how many friends I have to go through--I will get this right.

Next post: pink gravy?

5 comments:

barb said...

oh my "little bird" I see ravioli on the Christmas menu!! By then moon will have this perfected wooo hooo

La Vida Dulce said...

What a beautiful antipasto! Chiarello is over-rated. Talks a good game, but he gets on my nerves. Trust Lidia Bastianich for some good ravioli. Her cookbooks are excellent. Check out her website lidiasitaly.com for more info. She is a wonderful lady, warm, genuine and very knowledgeable. I was lucky enough to meet her once. Mario Batali is in business with her son. Mario has some good cookbooks as well.
Ciao, Christine

maltese parakeet said...

yum, maybe we should have a big italian dinner for christmas.

wheresmymind said...

Hey...this is why we try so we can make it perfect one day :)

Deborah Eley De Bono said...

Yes, I have tried Lidia's recipes but have not gone to her website, thanks.

Jeff, you've got that right, that's why I have friends so I can torture them with new techniques. Sometime with success.