A taste of Italy with stuffed pasta dishes

Seattle: If you love stuffed pasta but find the idea of making it in your own kitchen intimidating, Chef and instructor Iole Aguero is here to ease your worries.
Born and raised in Southern Italy, Chef Aguero now shares her knowledge of genuine Italian cooking with cooking schools in the Seattle area, California, Texas, and Utah. 

She’s showing us how it’s done and sharing one of her delicious stuffed pasta dishes that you can whip up for dinner at home. 

You can also Join Aguero on her tour with Earthbound Expeditions: The Ultimate Food Lovers’ Journey to Italy, September 5-14, 2019. For classes closer to home, she has an offering of classes with PCC Community Markets throughout the month of June at several locations in Washington. 

Cheese Ravioli with Brown Butter Sage Sauce

Recipes by Iole Aguero.

Fresh Pasta  

2 1/4 Cup Unbleached flour 
4 Large Eggs at room temperature 
Rice flour for dusting 
Put the flour on a work surface and make a well. In the center break the eggs and beat with a fork.  Slowly stir in the flour and use your hands and knead the dough three to five minutes.  Let the dough rest for at least 15 minutes at room temperature.  Cut the dough into 4 pieces.  Work with one piece at a time. 

Dust the piece with the flour and flatten with your hand. Put it through the plain roller on the widest setting of the pasta maker.  Dust as needed.  Fold into thirds and repeat the rolling and folding about 7 or 8 times.  Reduce the space between the rollers by one setting at a time until reaching the second to the last thickness setting on the pasta maker.  Before the dough goes through the machine the last time, dust it generously with rice flour. 

Butter  
Freshly grated parmesan  
Small amount of cooking water 
Place the butter in a large bowl, add the hot pasta, some of the cooking water, toss and add the cheese and serve.  

Cheese Ravioli Filling 

1  recipe for fresh pasta. 

8oz Ricotta cheese 
¼ cup Grated parmesan cheese 
3oz Fontina cheese small diced 
1 large Egg 
1/4 tsp Sea salt 
Freshly ground black pepper 
Dash freshly ground nutmeg 
1 Tbls Chopped Italian Parsley leaves 
Rice flour for dusting 
Egg wash made with 1 egg yolk and 1 Tbls of water 
Combine all ingredients and set aside.  To cook the ravioli, bring a large pot of water to boil, add 1 Tbls of salt and the ravioli. Lower the heat to a simmer.  Drop in half of the ravioli into the water and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes or until the pasta is cooked through but sill firm and the filling is hot.  Use a slotted spatula to carefully to lift out he ravioli and transfer them into the brown butter sage.  Keep them warm while you cook the remaining ravioli. 

Brown Butter Sage 

½ Cup Unsalted butter 
20 Small Sage leaves 
Freshly grated Parmesan 
Salt and freshly ground pepper 
Cook the butter with sage leaves and salt until the butter starts to brown, toss the cooked Ravioli with butter Sage Sauce.  Garnish with grated parmesan and freshly ground black pepper.  Makes 4 to 6 servings.