Ravioli or Tubes

Source: Italian Cooking Class Cookbook by Edt. Consumer Guide

Makes 6 servings.

Preparation time: 1:30 hours

Tips: For quick version cook " Tubes", penne pasta in Ravioli Sauce.

Ravioli or Tubes

in Smooth Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

Preparation

FILLING 1: meats and spinach

5 ounces fresh spinach, cleaned, cooked, squeezed, may use frozen

1 small chicken breast, cooked, skinned, boned

3 ounces cooked ham

1 1/2 ounces hard salami

1 medium garlic clove

6 ounces ground beef

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

2 large eggs

1/4 teaspoon each ground allspice and salt

FILLING 2: cheese and spinach

10 ounces frozen spinach (1 pkg.), thawed and drained

20 ounces ricotta cheese

8 ounces Parmesan cheese

2 eggs

1 tablespoon anise seeds

salt and pepper to taste

1. For sauce: Press tomatoes and their liquid through sieve into bowl; discard seeds. Saute garlic in butter in large noncorrosive saucepan over medium heat 30 seconds. Stir in spices, cook 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes. Simmer covered 30 minutes. Uncover pan; simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened to coating consistency, about 15 minutes longer. Reserve.

2. For filling 1: Mince spinach, chicken, ham, hard salami and garlic; combine in medium bowl with remaining ingredients. Mix well. Refrigerate. For filling 2: Mince spinach, add all other ingredients, mix well and refrigerate. If any filling left over, they freeze well for later use.

3. Prepare dough as indicated in "Pasta Dough" recipe.

4. Divide dough into 4 pieces. Roll, cut and fill 1 piece at a time; keep unused pieces wrapped. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 1/16-inch (2mm) or less thick.

Place teaspoonfuls of filling at intervals to cut ravioli to desired size for 1/2 length of dough sheet. Brush dough on edges and between filling with mixture of 1 egg yolk + 1 teaspoon milk. Fold dough over filling; press firmly between filling and along edge to seal. Cut ravioli apart with pastry wheel.

5. Cook a quarter of the ravioli at a time in large por of boiling salted water just until al dente, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon draining well; add to reserved sauce. When all ravioli have been cooked, heat in sauce to boiling; reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer uncovered 6 to 8 minutes. Serve at once.

For "Tubes", a Family favorite and a quick meal to prepare:

1. Cook 12 ounces penne pasta, set aside.

2. Prepare sauce as directed. Add pasta to cooked sauce as per ravioli directions.

3. Serve with fresh grated Parmesan cheese and french bread.