0 Homemade Ravioli filled with Homemade Lemon Ricotta, Chanterelles, and a Brown Butter, Sage Sauce topped with crushed Walnuts

This was my first time making pasta from scratch.  So intimidating, right?  For me, yes!  I didn't have a pasta machine but thought I could roll it out flat with a rolling pin.  Ha!  Good try.  :)  I did manage to roll it out fairly thin, but my arms are killing me.  I think in the future I will be investing in a pasta machine.  (It was fun though)

By the way, Fried Sage Leaves?  Insanely good.  Fry them in butter and they become these thin, crisp, salty, thanksgivingy, oh my goodness just try it, you will love it.

Recipe:

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour

2 Eggs

1 Bunch of Fresh Sage

2 Tablespoons Walnuts, chopped

1/2 cup Homemade Lemon Ricotta

2 Tablespoons Butter

1/2 Cup of Chanterelle Mushrooms (if dried, reconstitute in boiling water for 20-30 minutes)

1.  On a clean surface, make a small well with the flour. 

2.  Crack two eggs into a separate dish and beat lightly.

3.  Pour the egg mixture into the well of the flour and with a fork begin blending the flour in from the sides.

4.  When the mixture gets too stiff to work with the fork, use your hands to mix in the rest of the flour.

5.  Form into a ball and cover with a damp cloth, set aside.

6.  Clean off the counter space (because of the raw egg) and then lightly dust with flour to begin working again.

7.  Remove from the cloth and lightly knead the dough for about 5 minutes or until smooth.

8.  Now this is where you can use your pasta machine, or be like me (Don't be like me) roll it out by hand.  Divide the dough in half and flatten it out a bit by hand.  This will help it fit through the machine or make it easier by hand (shakes head no).  

9.  If working with the machine, set the rollers to the widest setting then feed the pasta through 3-4 times.  Folding and turning pasta until it is smooth and the width of the machine.  Cut the dough into 4 pieces.  Now begin rolling it through the machine decreasing the settings by 1 each time, until you reach the second to last setting.  Cover with a damp towel until ready to cut into squares.

By hand, just roll the heck out of it until it is so thin you can see through it, shadows at least.      

10.  Cut the dough in half length-wise and place filling with plenty of space in between.  Place the top layer on and press down around the filling to seal.  Then cut Ravioli into squares.  I found a pizza cutter worked really well to cut the dough.

11.  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the Ravioli.  Cook 3-4 minutes or until Ravioli floats to the top, fresh pasta cooks much faster than dried.  (If you aren't cooking them right away just cover with a damp towel until ready.)  When done, carefully remove the ravioli from the pot and place on the serving dish.

12.  If you are using dried mushrooms, reconstitute for 20-30 minutes using boiling water.  Place the dried mushrooms in a bowl and cover with boiling water.  Let soak for 20-30 minutes.

13.  In a saucepan melt the butter over medium heat.  Add the Sage Leaves and cook until crispy.  Be careful to keep the butter a nice warm brown color by cooking the leaves slowly, you don't want to burn the butter.  At the end add the mushrooms and cook for a minute or two.  Remove from heat.  Drizzle over the Ravioli.

14.  Chop the walnuts finely and top for a garnish.

Enjoy!