Mushroom ravioli

Do you love mushrooms? If so, you’ll want to head straight to the grocery store to pick up the ingredients for this earthy ravioli dish.

Start to finish: 1 hour
Servings: 4

Ingredients
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 3.5 ounces dried wild mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 large French shallots (or 3 small ones), minced
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 5.5 ounces button mushrooms, finely chopped, divided
• 5.5 ounces cremini mushrooms, finely chopped, divided
• 2 cups very hot water
• 10 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves removed
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
• 1-1/2 cups cooking cream
• Leafy greens of your choice, to garnish
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions
1. On a clean work surface, place the flour and form it into the shape of a nest, using your fingers to create a bowl-sized divot in the center. Crack the eggs into the nest, and add the salt and a tablespoon of olive oil. Using a fork, gently whisk the eggs, adding a little bit of flour at a time, making sure not to break the nest. As the dough begins to form, use your hands to incorporate all the ingredients. If the dough is too dry, add 1 teaspoon of warm water. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes, until it’s smooth and shiny. Wrap it in plastic wrap, and let it rest at room temperature.

2. In a small bowl pour the dried mushrooms, and add the 2 cups of water. Set aside.

3. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter. Saute half the shallots until they’re translucent. Add half of the garlic, 3.5 ounces of the button mushrooms, 3.5 ounces of the cremini mushrooms, and half of the thyme leaves. Continue to saute over high heat until all the water from the mushrooms has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper. Deglaze the skillet with white wine and reduce it until it’s dry. Pour the mushroom mixture into a bowl, let it cool for a few minutes, then add the ricotta cheese. Mix well and adjust the seasoning as needed. Set aside.

4. Drain the dried mushrooms, setting aside 1 cup of water. Place the mushrooms on paper towels or a clean cloth.

5. In a large skillet, heat the remaining olive oil and butter. Saute the other half of the shallots until they’re translucent. Add the other half of the garlic, the rest of the button and cremini mushrooms, the remaining thyme leaves, and the rehydrated dried mushrooms. Continue to saute over high heat until all the water from the mushrooms has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper. Deglaze the skillet with the water from the dried mushrooms and reduce it until it’s dry. Lower the heat, add the cream, and let it simmer over low heat for about 5 minutes. Blend the sauce in a blender until it has a smooth, uniform texture. Set aside.

6. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough until it’s about ¼ of an inch thick and separate it into two large sheets. On one sheet of dough place 1 tablespoon of the mushroom filling every 2 inches, and then cover it with the other sheet of dough. Using a round cookie cutter, cut the ravioli into rounds that are about 2 inches in diameter.

7. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the ravioli for 3 minutes. Drain the pasta, and divide it evenly among four serving bowls. Top with the cream sauce, and garnish with a few leafy greens.