Ravioli alla Vodka Sauce

For the pasta dough:
Place dry ingredients into your mixing bowl, slowly add 2 eggs, 2 tablespoons water and olive oil. Change to dough hook and knead until it forms a ball. Knead 6-8 minutes in machine on low setting (2). Remove and manually knead until elastic. Wrap in plastic and let rest 30 minutes while prepping your filling and sauce (Can be put in refrigerator for up to one day at this stage.) Cut dough ball into 4 evenly sized pieces, roll each piece into sheets that are approximately 3 ½” x 18” to create ravioli.

You can now cut out your heart shapes, then place 1 teaspoon of filling in center, then brush edges of the pasta with egg wash (the remaining 1 beaten egg and 2 Tablespoons water whisked together), top with another pasta heart, seal edges, and set aside.

When all raviolis are shaped and sealed; set aside until ready to cook. When you are almost ready to serve, place the raviolis in boiling salted water and keep them in there for about 5 minutes. Then drain and set aside.

For the filling
Combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk thoroughly to blend flavors. Set aside until you are ready to fill your raviolis.

Vodka Sauce
Based on a recipe from Lidia Bastianich, Italian-American Kitchen.

Puree in your food processor the tomatoes, their juices, and the roasted peppers. Set puree aside.

Crush whole garlic cloves on cutting board, just enough to remove the husks. Set cloves aside in prep bowl. Don’t worry about “how much” garlic this is. Leaving them whole imparts a more subtle flavor and you will fish them out before serving.

Slightly brown garlic in 1/4 cup of olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. When done, they should be just beginning to look golden and not brown. Gently pour in pureed tomatoes and pepper mixture and bring to a boil. Add salt and crushed red pepper, lower heat to a simmer, then add vodka. Simmer while you are finishing the raviolis. After 15 minutes or when you are about ready to serve, remove garlic cloves from the sauce and add cream. Stir to blend, and continue cooking over low heat. Add 1 tablespoon of parsley and the reserved 1 tablespoon olive oil to finish.

Drain cooked ravioli and add to skillet (if you have room!) and continue cooking for about 2 minutes to fully coat the pasta. Serve with grated Parmesan and a sprinkling of fresh chopped parsley.

Cook’s Tips
– You can make the pasta ahead of time – up to 1 day ahead – just keep them wrapped in plastic, refrigerated.
– I had leftover filling, so it ended up as a lasagna layer later in the week..
– The better the vodka, the better the flavor.
– Adjust the red pepper to taste, I like it spicy!
– Timing, timing, timing. The fresh ravioli only take about 5 minutes to cook and your sauce can simmer away until you are ready for this step.

Served with 2008 Ruffino Chianti, Italy