Why are we all so concerned with having (or claiming to have) a career? It seems so sad to judge somebody by his or her profession... "Hi I'm Jane, I'm a shop assistant at TopShop"; "Hi I'm Jessica, I'm a waitress at All Bar One"; "Hi, I'm Sarah, I work as a PA in Human Resources". And what's wrong with that?
Nothing. I would say. But I must admit it, I too fall into that trap. Could I claim for example that I teach cooking and take photographs for living? Food writer and free-lance photographer for example sounds better already, doesn't? Which sounds also much posher to than saying "cooking blog" - that makes me feel so Desperate Wife....
I am deeply troubled. But while I resolve this personal philosophical dilemma, I leave the recipe of these little cute ravioli that come all the way from Sardinia. They are called Culurgiones which mean "Little bundles" although from the sound of it they don't promise anything good...almost offensive in fact! Culurgiones a chi?
They are unusually stuffed with potatoes, an ingredient which astonished all my students. And to make them tastier, they also have a touch of garlic and mint. Somebody adds onions too but I find that as a pointless addition, simply to make you stinck. They are nice as delicate as they are.
Culurgiones
Makes 80
4 eggs
400g "00" flour
a pinch of salt
1kg potatoes
4 garlic cloves
6-8 mint leaves
200g fontina
100g parmesan
1 egg
1. Make the pasta.
Create a well with the flour. In it crack the eggs one by one and then using the ridges of a fork break the eggs and whisk them making horizontal movements which slowly pick up more and more flour all around them. Slowly you will start creating a thick mix which you will have to knead with the palm of your hand rather than with the fork. The pasta has to be elastic and smooth. Wrap the pasta ball in cling film and leave it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
2. Make the filling.
Peel and cook the potatoes until very tender in hot and salty water. Once they are cooked, mash them and leave them aside to cool slightly.
3. Grate the cheeses. Chop very finely the garlic cloves and mint leaves. Add them to the potatoes and mix well.
4. Crack the egg into the mash and mix well. Season if necessary.
5. Roll the pasta. Cut a quarter off the ball and make a patty shape. Pass the narrowest part of the patty through the widest slot of the pasta machine. Repeat reducing the thickness of the slot gradually so that the pasta elongate and becomes thinner.
Tip: If the pasta sheet gets a hole, simply fold it and roll it through the machine again. No big deal! Don't worry!
6. Make a series of long strips of pasta. Using a tea spoon, place the filling in a ball shape on the pasta sheet leaving 2 cm between them. Once you have finished the entire strip, fold one side of the pasta and seal well.
7. With a knife or ravioli wheel, cut the pasta along its length. Then press with your finger between the filling balls and cut with the knife or wheel.
8. Seal with a fork each edge. Move the ravioli onto a floured surface so that they dry a little bit before they get cooked.
9. Cook them in boiling water (salted of course) for a couple of minutes (don't overcrowd the pan but don't even put 2 at the time or the day after you will still be there fishing your ravioli... yawn...). Place the drained ravioli in a bowl.
10. Melt some butter (200g probably is ok) and pour it over the ravioli once all drained. Grate some more cheese and serve warm.
As an amateur photographer, I leave you with a few snaps from Cagliari, at the very souther tip of the island. Lovely place!
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