vegan ravioli Archives - Epicurean Vegan

Potato-Filled Spinach Ravioli with Mushroom-Truffle Sauce

August 3, 2014 by Epicurean Vegan

Here I go again with the ravioli! Well, these could be like more like perogies, actually. Plus, I also added spinach to the dough which is definitely new for me. I’d been wanting to try that for a while now and I’m so glad I did. I’m already trying to figure out what other vegetables I can use to make pasta with. I made everything up earlier in the afternoon when I had some extra time, so when it came dinnertime, it was easy to throw it all together. The mushroom sauce with truffle oil is the perfect, light sauce for these raviolis; nothing too heavy and thick since the raviolis themselves have got some girth. Between the sauce and the fresh chives in the filling, this meal is packed with flavor and taste.

INGREDIENTS:
Dough:
1-1/2 C semolina flour
1 C whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 C warm unsweetened almond milk
1 Tbs olive oil
1 C minced spinach (about 4 C of fresh spinach leaves)
Filling:
2 medium potatoes
1 Tbs vegan margarine
1/8 to 1/4 C almond milk
1-2 Tbs fresh chives, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
Mushroom-Truffle Sauce:
4 Tbs vegan margarine
2-3 C mushrooms, sliced
5 Tbs flour
1-1/2 to 2 C vegetable broth
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 Tbs truffle oil

DIRECTIONS:
To prepare the dough, whisk together the two flours and salt. Add the olive oil and warm almond milk and blend a little to create large clumps of dough. Add the spinach.

Blend well using either a wooden spoon, or your hands.
Knead on a floured surface for 3-5 minutes. You may need to add more flour; the spinach adds a bit of moisture to the dough. Shape into a ball, wrap with plastic and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
You can go about making the filling two ways: nuke the potatoes in the microwave until they are done, let them cool slightly, then peel them. The other way, is to peel them first, dice them up and boil them in either water or broth until they are tender. I went ahead and microwaved them, but you choose. I then transferred the cooked potato to a medium bowl, mashed them up, then added the margarine, almond milk, chives, salt and pepper. You can also use the food processor to make the potatoes super creamy and whipped, but I’m a lumpy mashed potato kind of girl, so I just used a potato masher for mine.
To make the raviolis, I love using my pasta maker and ravioli plate. If anything, I highly recommend the ravioli plate, but you can easily roll the dough out thin enough without using a pasta maker. I usually tell readers to THIS POST for a more detailed description of how to use the ravioli plate, as well as some helpful links. Fill each ravioli with about a teaspoon or so of the potato filling.
If you find that the dough is sticking to the ravioli plate (which I did), I recommend lightly spraying the plate with cooking spray and they’ll pop right off next time. I then transferred them to a baking sheet sprinkled with some semolina flour (which keeps the raviolis from sticking to the pan). I ended up with 54 raviolis. These can sit out and dry a little while you prepare the sauce.
To make the sauce, saute the mushrooms in the margarine in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and coat the mushrooms well. Little by little, add the vegetable broth and stir. Once it starts to thicken, add a little more broth and keep doing that until you’re out of broth. Let it thicken up, but if it seems to be taking a while, turn the heat off, and let the sauce sit. It will get thick.
Next, bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the raviolis in 2-3 batches. I often hear that you shouldn’t cook more than 6 or 7 at a time, but I did them in two batches. First of all, they should be served immediately after being removed from the water (3-5 minutes) and second, they tend to stick together if you transfer them to a colander and wait until they’re all cooked before you serve them. I didn’t find any problems with cooking 25 at a time. Do what feels right to you though. If you’re going to cook them in several batches, I recommend oiling a large bowl and use a slotted spoon to transfer the raviolis to the bowl. The oil will help keep them all from sticking to one another.
Ladle some sauce over the raviolis and enjoy!

Potato-Filled Spinach Ravioli with Mushroom-Truffle Sauce

Prep time

1 hour

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

1 hour 15 mins

Here I go again with the ravioli! Well, these could be like more like perogies, actually. Plus, I also added spinach to the dough which is definitely new for me. I'd been wanting to try that for a while now and I'm so glad I did. I'm already trying to figure out what other vegetables I can use to make pasta with. I made everything up earlier in the afternoon when I had some extra time, so when it came dinnertime, it was easy to throw it all together. The mushroom sauce with truffle oil is the perfect, light sauce for these raviolis; nothing too heavy and thick since the raviolis themselves have got some girth. Between the sauce and the fresh chives in the filling, this meal is packed with flavor and taste.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

Dough:
.
1-1/2 C semolina flour
1 C whole wheat pastry flour
½ tsp salt
¾ C warm unsweetened almond milk
1 Tbs olive oil
1 C minced spinach (about 4 C of fresh spinach leaves)
.
Filling:
.
2 medium potatoes
1 Tbs vegan margarine
⅛ to ¼ C almond milk
1-2 Tbs fresh chives, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
.
Mushroom-Truffle Sauce:4 Tbs vegan margarine
.
2-3 C mushrooms, sliced
5 Tbs flour
1-1/2 to 2 C vegetable broth
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 Tbs truffle oil

Directions

To prepare the dough, whisk together the two flours and salt. Add the olive oil and warm almond milk and blend a little to create large clumps of dough. Add the spinach.
Blend well using either a wooden spoon, or your hands.
Knead on a floured surface for 3-5 minutes. You may need to add more flour; the spinach adds a bit of moisture to the dough. Shape into a ball, wrap with plastic and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
You can go about making the filling two ways: nuke the potatoes in the microwave until they are done, let them cool slightly, then peel them. The other way, is to peel them first, dice them up and boil them in either water or broth until they are tender. I went ahead and microwaved them, but you choose. I then transferred the cooked potato to a medium bowl, mashed them up, then added the margarine, almond milk, chives, salt and pepper. You can also use the food processor to make the potatoes super creamy and whipped, but I'm a lumpy mashed potato kind of girl, so I just used a potato masher for mine.
To make the raviolis, I love using my pasta maker and ravioli plate. If anything, I highly recommend the ravioli plate, but you can easily roll the dough out thin enough without using a pasta maker. I usually tell readers to THIS POST for a more detailed description of how to use the ravioli plate, as well as some helpful links. Fill each ravioli with about a teaspoon or so of the potato filling.
If you find that the dough is sticking to the ravioli plate (which I did), I recommend lightly spraying the plate with cooking spray and they'll pop right off next time. I then transferred them to a baking sheet that is sprinkled with some semolina flour (which keeps the raviolis from sticking to the pan). I ended up with 54 raviolis. These can sit out and dry a little while you prepare the sauce.
To make the sauce, saute the mushrooms in the margarine in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and coat the mushrooms well. Little by little, add the vegetable broth and stir. Once it starts to thicken, add a little more broth and keep doing that until you're out of broth. Let it thicken up, but if it seems to be taking a while, turn the heat off, and let the sauce sit. It will get thick.
Next, bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the raviolis in 2-3 batches. I often hear that you shouldn't cook more than 6 or 7 at a time, but I did them in two batches. First of all, they should be served immediately after being removed from the water (3-5 minutes) and second, they tend to stick together if you transfer them to a colander and wait until they're all cooked before you serve them. Do what feels right to you. If you're going to cook them in several batches, I recommend oiling a large bowl and use a slotted spoon to transfer the raviolis to the bowl. The oil will help keep them all from sticking to one another.
Ladle some sauce over the raviolis and enjoy!

Pine Nut & Cashew Ravioli with Fresh Mushrooms, Tomatoes & Basil

April 11, 2014 by Epicurean Vegan

I’m finally back with a new recipe! As much as I love them, I don’t use pine nuts often because they’re rather pricey, but I picked some up on sale. They add such a decadent flavor to dishes and this is no exception. Combined with cashews, they make an ideal stuffing for ravioli. The fresh veggies on top complete the meal.

INGREDIENTS
Dough
1-1/2 C semolina flour
1/2 C whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 C warm unsweetened almond milk
1 Tbs olive oil
Filling
1/2 C pine nuts
1 C roasted, unsalted cashews
2 Tbs nutritional yeast
2 Tbs lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 C fresh spinach
Topping
2 Tbs Earth Balance
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 C cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 large tomatoes, diced
1 C fresh basil, chopped
2 Tbs red wine
Salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS
You can soak the nuts for several hours to overnight, or to speed things up, in a medium bowl, pour boiling water over the nuts and let sit for 2 hours. Sometimes, I only soak them for an hour or so; I don’t mind if the filling isn’t perfectly smooth, so it’s up to you. To prepare the dough, whisk together the two flours and the salt. Whisk in the warm almond milk and oil. Sometimes it’s easier to use your hands to combine everything; use what works. Transfer the dough to a very lightly floured surface and knead for 5-7 minutes until the dough is smooth. Cover in plastic wrap and set aside. To make the filling, drain the nuts and add them to a food processor. Process them for about 30 seconds to get them a bit pureed. Add the rest of the ingredients and puree 1-2 minutes until smooth. Set aside.

As you probably recall, I like to use my pasta maker and a ravioli plate to make raviolis, and I have to say, the process gets easier and quicker each time. I recommend at least getting a ravioli plate—you can find one for under $20 on Amazon.
I ended up with 44 raviolis . . .
I then let them sit for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, I prepared the topping. In a small bowl, combine the tomatoes and basil; season with salt and pepper. In a medium skillet, heat the Earth Balance and add the garlic. Saute for 3-4 minutes, then add the mushrooms. Cook for two minutes, then add the wine and cook another 2-3 minutes, or until the mushrooms soften. Remove from heat and stir in the tomatoes and basil.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the ravioli (about a dozen at a time) for 3-5 minutes. They will float to the top and puff up a little when they’re ready. I usually serve them as they finish cooking so they stay hot. If you want to cook them all first, I suggest transferring them to a large, oiled baking sheet. Otherwise, they’ll stick together. Serve with a scoop or two of the fresh topping and enjoy!

Pine Nut & Cashew Ravioli with Fresh Mushrooms, Tomatoes & Basil

As much as I love them, I don't use pine nuts often because they're rather pricey, but I picked some up on sale. They add such a decadent flavor to dishes and this is no exception. Combined with cashews, they make an ideal stuffing for ravioli. The fresh veggies on top complete the meal.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

Dough
1-1/2 C semolina flour
½ C whole wheat pastry flour
½ tsp salt
¾ C warm unsweetened almond milk
1 Tbs olive oil
Filling
½ C pine nuts
1 C roasted, unsalted cashews
2 Tbs nutritional yeast
2 Tbs lemon juice
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
1 C fresh spinach
Topping
2 Tbs Earth Balance
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 C cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 large tomatoes, diced
1 C fresh basil, chopped
2 Tbs red wine
Salt and pepper

Directions

You can soak the nuts for several hours to overnight, or to speed things up, in a medium bowl, pour boiling water over the nuts and let sit for 2 hours. Sometimes, I only soak them for an hour or so; I don't mind if the filling isn't perfectly smooth, so it's up to you.
To prepare the dough, whisk together the two flours and the salt. Whisk in the warm almond milk and oil. Sometimes it's easier to use your hands to combine everything; use what works.
Transfer the dough to a very lightly floured surface and knead for 5-7 minutes until the dough is smooth.
Cover in plastic wrap and set aside.
To make the filling, drain the nuts and add them to a food processor. Process them for about 30 seconds to get them a bit pureed. Add the rest of the ingredients and puree 1-2 minutes until smooth. Set aside.
As you probably recall, I like to use my pasta maker and a ravioli plate to make raviolis, and I have to say, the process gets easier and quicker each time. I recommend at least getting a ravioli plate---you can find one for under $20 on Amazon.I ended up with 44 raviolis.
I then let them sit for about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, I prepared the topping. In a small bowl, combine the tomatoes and basil; season with salt and pepper.
In a medium skillet, heat the Earth Balance and add the garlic. Saute for 3-4 minutes, then add the mushrooms. Cook for two minutes, then add the wine and cook another 2-3 minutes, or until the mushrooms soften.
Remove from heat and stir in the tomatoes and basil.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the ravioli (about a dozen at a time) for 3-5 minutes. They will float to the top and puff up a little when they're ready. I usually serve them as they finish cooking so they stay hot. If you want to cook them all first, I suggest transferring them to a large, oiled baking sheet. Otherwise, they'll stick together.
Serve with a scoop or two of the fresh topping and enjoy!

Alfredo Ravioli (and a beautiful white morning)

May 2, 2013 by epicureanvegan

First, I had to snap a few pictures this morning of the snow because by tomorrow, most of it will be gone. This is a photog’s dream and the time I love snow—so beautiful.

So anyway, as you probably know, I go through phases when I discover certain meals. For example, when I discovered stuffed peppers, I made about 10 different versions . . . same with frittatas and tofu scrambles. Now I’m on to my latest obsession: Ravioli. At least I have the process down to a science so preparation goes a lot smoother. I was hankering for some of this Alfredo sauce, but I was also craving ravioli. Typically, I don’t like to pair ravioli with a heavy sauce, but to hell with rules; this was too good not to try. I changed up the dough a little because I didn’t have enough semolina flour and it worked out nicely. These are stuffed with tofu ricotta and fresh spinach—a fabulous combo. For a more in-depth description on using a ravioli plate, check out this version.

INGREDIENTS:
Dough:
1 C semolina flour
2 C whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp salt
1 C almond milk, warm
2 Tbs olive oil
Filling:
14-oz pkg. extra firm tofu, drained, pressed and crumbled
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 Tbs lemon juice
1/3 C nutritional yeast
1/3 C Daiya mozzarella (optional)
2 C chopped spinach
Sauce:
1 C raw cashews
2 Tbs pine nuts
1-1/2 C water
4 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp garlic, minced
1/16 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 C nutritional yeast
1 to 2 C mushrooms, sliced

DIRECTIONS:
Start with making the dough. In a large bowl, combine the flours and salt. Create a well in the middle and slowly pour in the almond milk and oil. Using a spoon, or your hands, combine well. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead for at least 5 minutes. Shape into a ball, cover with plastic, and set aside.
Next, throw together the ricotta. Combine all of the ingredients, except the spinach and cheese, in a food processor and blend well. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the spinach and cheese. Set aside.

Next, roll out the dough. I used my pasta maker, but you may certainly use a rolling pin. Lay one long sheet over the ravioli mold and fill each pocket with just over a teaspoon of filling.

Lay another thin sheet of dough over the top, press down and use a rolling pin to seal the edges. Again, refer to this post on how to use a ravioli plate. Place the raviolis on a baking sheet and repeat the process until you have used up all of the filling. I had just a small amount of dough left, but not much. I had 75 raviolis when it was all said and done. Cover and set aside.

Time to make the sauce. Using a blender, grind the cashews and pine nuts to a fine powder. Add the nutritional yeast, water, lemon juice, garlic, nutmeg, and salt. Blend until completely smooth—about 1 minute. Transfer to a medium saucepan and whisk over medium heat until it begins to boil. Reduce heat and let it simmer for 5-7 minutes; stir in the black pepper. I sauteed the mushrooms first, then stirred them into the sauce.

Keeping the sauce warm on very low heat, bring a large pot of water to a boil. I cooked about 12-15 raviolis at a time for about 4-5 minutes per batch. Using a slotted spoon, place them in a strainer. Serve immediately, or lay them out on a large pan, otherwise, they’ll stick to each other. You can drizzle a little olive oil on them as well, to keep them separated. Ladle on some sauce and enjoy!

Alfredo Ravioli (and a beautiful white morning)

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

Dough:
1 C semolina flour
2 C whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp salt
1 C almond milk, warm
2 Tbs olive oil
Filling:
14-oz pkg. extra firm tofu, drained, pressed and crumbled
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
2 Tbs lemon juice
⅓ C nutritional yeast
⅓ C Daiya mozzarella (optional)
2 C chopped spinach
Sauce:
1 C raw cashews
2 Tbs pine nuts
1-1/2 C water
4 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp garlic, minced
1/16 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
¼ C nutritional yeast
1 to 2 C mushrooms, sliced

Directions

Start with making the dough. In a large bowl, combine the flours and salt. Create a well in the middle and slowly pour in the almond milk and oil. Using a spoon, or your hands, combine well. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead for at least 5 minutes. Shape into a ball, cover with plastic, and set aside.
Next, throw together the ricotta. Combine all of the ingredients, except the spinach and cheese, in a food processor and blend well. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the spinach and cheese. Set aside.
Next, roll out the dough. I used my pasta maker, but you may certainly use a rolling pin. Lay one long sheet over the ravioli mold and fill each pocket with just over a teaspoon of filling.
Lay another thin sheet of dough over the top, press down and use a rolling pin to seal the edges. Place the raviolis on a baking sheet and repeat the process until you have used up all of the filling. I had just a small amount of dough left, but not much. I had 75 raviolis when it was all said and done. Cover and set aside.
Time to make the sauce. Using a blender, grind the cashews and pine nuts to a fine powder. Add the nutritional yeast, water, lemon juice, garlic, nutmeg, and salt. Blend until completely smooth—about 1 minute. Transfer to a medium saucepan and whisk over medium heat until it begins to boil. Reduce heat and let it simmer for 5-7 minutes; stir in the black pepper. I sauteed the mushrooms first, then stirred them into the sauce.
Keeping the sauce warm on very low heat, bring a large pot of water to a boil. I cooked about 12-15 raviolis at a time for about 4-5 minutes per batch. Using a slotted spoon, place them in a strainer. Serve immediately, or lay them out on a large pan, otherwise, they'll stick to each other. You can drizzle a little olive oil on them as well, to keep them separated. Ladle on some sauce and enjoy!

Homemade Gluten-Free Ravioli

April 1, 2013 by epicureanvegan

Nothing says Easter like ravioli, right? Well, if you’re vegan and some of your dinner guests can’t eat gluten, then yes, raviolis are an ideal Easter meal—or for any occasion, actually. In all of the excitement, I didn’t get a good picture of the finished product with the amazing garlic-butter-walnut sauce, but I did get one with some regular raviolis that I made as well.

In addition to the raviolis, one guest brought some delicious vegan horseradish mashed potatoes, roasted Brussels sprouts with pecans and another guest brought this incredible corn and avocado salad. So, I was living on the edge when I decided to not do a test run on the gluten-free dough before the big day. Luckily, it turned out ok, but not before having a slight meltdown when the GF dough wouldn’t fully cooperate with me. First off, don’t try using your pasta maker; the dough will fall apart. You’re better off using a rolling pin and lots of GF flour to roll it out. Believe me, it’s doable and worth the extra effort; just be patient. I also recommend using a ravioli plate like this one—and that goes for any type of raviolis—it just makes life easier. For the filling, I made two: pureed beet/cashew and tofu ricotta with spinach and mushrooms. Make it easy on yourself and prepare these fillings ahead of time and refrigerate until ready to use. If I was unable to eat gluten, I would miss homemade pasta, especially raviolis, so I’d be making these all the time. Our GF guests loved them and happily took the few leftovers home with them. My friend Kerrie gave me a conversion for GF flour and regular flour a while back and uses it for most things, so I thought I’d give it a whirl for pasta. Basically, for every 1 cup of regular flour, use 7/8 C of rice flour and 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum—worked like a charm.

INGREDIENTS:
Dough:
1-3/4 C white rice flour
7/8 C brown rice flour
3 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp salt
1 C warm almond milk
2 Tbs olive oil
Spinach-Tofu-Mushroom Filling:
14-oz pkg extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/3 C nutritional yeast
2 Tbs lemon juice
3 C fresh spinach, chopped
3 mushrooms, diced small
Beet/Cashew filling: see link above
Garlic-Butter-Walnut sauce: (I was feeding a crowd, so for 3-4 people, you may want to halve the sauce recipe)
1-1/2 C walnuts, chopped
6 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
1-1/2 C Earth Balance margarine, cut into pieces

DIRECTIONS:
To make the spinach filling, puree the first 9 ingredients in food processor. Set aside, or refrigerate until ready to use. The beet filling will take just over an hour to prepare, so keep that in mind if using that one. (Click on link above to see instructions.)

To make the dough, combine both rice flours, xanthan gum, and salt in a bowl of a stand mixer. On medium speed, slowly add the oil, then the warm almond milk. When it’s fully incorporated, form it into a ball and refrigerate if not using right away. The dough will probably work better if it’s room temperature.

On a constantly-floured surface, roll out the sections of the dough into long pieces, big enough for your ravioli plate. I wouldn’t bother using the plastic mold part, as it will easily break through the dough. Gently use your fingers to create a small dip where the filling will go. Fill each dip with about a teaspoon of the filling. If using the spinach one, place a few pieces of mushroom on top of the filling. Roll out another long piece of dough and place it carefully over the top of the filling and gently press down. You can use the rolling pin to then finish the process. (This is a great YouTube video showing how to use the plate). Here’s a pic of the regular dough with the fillings:

I was pleasantly surprised at how well they turned out. A couple of them had some a filling peeking out, but they still cooked up great.

Let them sit for 20 minutes. While this is happening, prepare the sauce. In a medium, dry saucepan, add the walnuts and brown them over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes, then add the Earth Balance. Stir over low to medium heat until the butter is melted and reduce the heat to low. To cook the raviolis, boil them, about 4-6 at a time, for 3-4 minutes, or until they float to the surface. I usually give them a minute more, just to make sure they’re heated though.

I’m happy to tell you that none of them fell apart and they were delicious. The regular ones seemed to taste a little sweeter, but otherwise, they tasted very much like regular raviolis! Top them with a ladle of the garlic sauce and enjoy!

Homemade Gluten-Free Ravioli

So, I was living on the edge when I decided to not do a test run on the gluten-free dough before the big day. Luckily, it turned out ok, but not before having a slight meltdown when the GF dough wouldn't fully cooperate with me. First off, don't try using your pasta maker; the dough will fall apart. You're better off using a rolling pin and lots of GF flour to roll it out. Believe me, it's doable and worth the extra effort; just be patient. I also recommend using a ravioli plate like this one---and that goes for any type of raviolis---it just makes life easier. For the filling, I made two: pureed beet/cashew and tofu ricotta with spinach and mushrooms. Make it easy on yourself and prepare these fillings ahead of time and refrigerate until ready to use. If I was unable to eat gluten, I would miss homemade pasta, especially raviolis, so I'd be making these all the time. Our GF guests loved them and happily took the few leftovers home with them. My friend Kerrie gave me a conversion for GF flour and regular flour a while back and uses it for most things, so I thought I'd give it a whirl for pasta. Basically, for every 1 cup of regular flour, use ⅞ C of rice flour and 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum---worked like a charm.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

Dough:
1-3/4 C white rice flour
⅞ C brown rice flour
3 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp salt
1 C warm almond milk
2 Tbs olive oil
Spinach-Tofu-Mushroom Filling:
14-oz pkg extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
⅓ C nutritional yeast
2 Tbs lemon juice
3 C fresh spinach, chopped
3 mushrooms, diced small
Beet/Cashew filling: see link above
Garlic-Butter-Walnut sauce: (I was feeding a crowd, so for 3-4 people, you may want to halve the sauce recipe)
1-1/2 C walnuts, chopped
6 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
1-1/2 C Earth Balance margarine, cut into pieces

Directions

To make the spinach filling, puree the first 9 ingredients in food processor. Set aside, or refrigerate until ready to use. The beet filling will take just over an hour to prepare, so keep that in mind if using that one. (Click on link above to see instructions.)
To make the dough, combine both rice flours, xanthan gum, and salt in a bowl of a stand mixer. On medium speed, slowly add the oil, then the warm almond milk. When it's fully incorporated, form it into a ball and refrigerate if not using right away. The dough will probably work better if it's room temperature.
On a constantly-floured surface, roll out the sections of the dough into long pieces, big enough for your ravioli plate. I wouldn't bother using the plastic mold part, as it will easily break through the dough. Gently use your fingers to create a small dip where the filling will go. Fill each dip with about a teaspoon of the filling. If using the spinach one, place a few pieces of mushroom on top of the filling. Roll out another long piece of dough and place it carefully over the top of the filling and gently press down. You can use the rolling pin to then finish the process.
I was pleasantly surprised at how well they turned out. A couple of them had some a filling peeking out, but they still cooked up great.
Let them sit for 20 minutes. While this is happening, prepare the sauce. In a medium, dry saucepan, add the walnuts and brown them over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes, then add the Earth Balance. Stir over low to medium heat until the butter is melted and reduce the heat to low. To cook the raviolis, boil them, about 4-6 at a time, for 3-4 minutes, or until they float to the surface. I usually give them a minute more, just to make sure they're heated though.
I'm happy to tell you that none of them fell apart and they were delicious. The regular ones seemed to taste a little sweeter, but otherwise, they tasted very much like regular raviolis! Top them with a ladle of the garlic sauce and enjoy!

Beet Ravioli with a Garlic-Butter Walnut Sauce

February 12, 2013 by epicureanvegan

I’ve had this “Sexy Beet Ravioli” bookmarked since last April and I figured it was high time to give it a try. After 3 hours and 15 minutes in the kitchen, the meal was ready (this included making a salad). Good thing it was worth it! This dish definitely ranks in the top ten meals I’ve made and despite the long prep time, I’d make these again for sure. You have to like beets. Even though I’ve eaten them plenty of times, I’ve never roasted them before, but piece of cake! The original recipe said it yielded 12-15 raviolis. It was hard to gauge what size raviolis that made, so I decided to double everything. I would have been fine to just double the filling and the sauce, but not the dough. Luckily, the dough is outstanding and I now have a batch in the freezer for another pasta meal. With the doubled filling, I got about forty-eight 1-1/2″ square raviolis. Don’t be freaked out by the prep work. You can certainly make up the dough and filling ahead of time and store until ready to assemble the raviolis. Regardless, freshly made pasta is just going to take more time, but in the end, it’s worth it! (Perfect for a Valentine’s Day dinner!)

INGREDIENTS:
Dough: (not doubled)
2 C semolina flour
1 C whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp salt
1 C warmed almond milk
2 Tbs olive oil
Filling: (Doubled)
2 beets
2 C raw cashews, soaked for 1 hour in water
1/2 C water
1 tsp salt
2 tsp nutritional yeast
Garlic Walnut Butter sauce: (Doubled)
8 Tbs vegan margarine
8 cloves of garlic, crushed (You could roast the garlic while roasting the beets . . .)
1 C walnuts, chopped

DIRECTIONS:
To roast the beets, preheat oven to 425. Scrub the beets clean, remove the greens, and wrap in foil. Roast for one hour. You can also be soaking the cashews during this time. To prepare the dough, whisk together the flours and salt. Create a well in the middle and slowly pour in the warmed almond milk and olive oil.

Blend well with a spoon, or your hands and then transfer to a clean surface. Knead the dough for 5-10 minutes, or until the dough forms a smooth, un-sticky ball. Wrap with plastic wrap and set aside until ready to use. Refrigerate if not using right away.

To make the filling, drain the cashews and add them to a food processor. Chop up the roasted beets and along with the other filling ingredients, add them to the food processor.

Process until smooth. You’ll end up with a very hot pink filling!

I used my pasta maker to roll out the dough, but you can also use a rolling pin. I also used my ravioli plate, which was the best thing to happen to raviolis . . . it’s so easy to use and it ensures a closed edge, unlike using a fork. You can find one at Amazon . . . this one is for $13!

Perfect raviolis!

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the raviolis—about 8-12 at a time—and remove with a slotted spoon once they float to the top, in roughly 2-3 minutes. I transferred them to a large colander, but be sure you drizzle with a little oil as they will a stick to one another as they cool.

The sauce is quite easy to make and you can just throw the ingredients into a small saucepan while you cook the raviolis. I didn’t brown the garlic, I just threw it all in at once, let the butter melt, and stirred it every minute or so.

Serve the raviolis with a drizzle of the sauce and thoroughly enjoy!

Beet Ravioli with a Garlic-Butter Walnut Sauce

I've had this "Sexy Beet Ravioli" bookmarked since last April and I figured it was high time to give it a try. After 3 hours and 15 minutes in the kitchen, the meal was ready (this included making a salad). Good thing it was worth it! This dish definitely ranks in the top ten meals I've made and despite the long prep time, I'd make these again for sure. You have to like beets. Even though I've eaten them plenty of times, I've never roasted them before, but piece of cake! The original recipe said it yielded 12-15 raviolis. It was hard to gauge what size raviolis that made, so I decided to double everything. I would have been fine to just double the filling and the sauce, but not the dough. Luckily, the dough is outstanding and I now have a batch in the freezer for another pasta meal. With the doubled filling, I got about forty-eight 1-1/2" square raviolis. Don't be freaked out by the prep work. You can certainly make up the dough and filling ahead of time and store until ready to assemble the raviolis. Regardless, freshly made pasta is just going to take more time, but in the end, it's worth it! (Perfect for a Valentine's Day dinner!)

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

Dough: (not doubled)
2 C semolina flour
1 C whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp salt
1 C warmed almond milk
2 Tbs olive oil
Filling: (Doubled)
2 beets
2 C raw cashews, soaked for 1 hour in water
½ C water
1 tsp salt
2 tsp nutritional yeast
Garlic Walnut Butter sauce: (Doubled)
8 Tbs vegan margarine
8 cloves of garlic, crushed (You could roast the garlic while roasting the beets . . .)
1 C walnuts, chopped

Directions

To roast the beets, preheat oven to 425. Scrub the beets clean, remove the greens, and wrap in foil. Roast for one hour. You can also be soaking the cashews during this time. To prepare the dough, whisk together the flours and salt. Create a well in the middle and slowly pour in the warmed almond milk and olive oil.
Blend well with a spoon, or your hands and then transfer to a clean surface. Knead the dough for 5-10 minutes, or until the dough forms a smooth, un-sticky ball. Wrap with plastic wrap and set aside until ready to use. Refrigerate if not using right away.
To make the filling, drain the cashews and add them to a food processor. Chop up the roasted beets and along with the other filling ingredients, add them to the food processor
Process until smooth. You'll end up with a very hot pink filling!
I used my pasta maker to roll out the dough, but you can also use a rolling pin. I also used my ravioli plate, which was the best thing to happen to raviolis . . . it's so easy to use and it ensures a closed edge, unlike using a fork.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the raviolis---about 8-12 at a time---and remove with a slotted spoon once they float to the top, in roughly 2-3 minutes. I transferred them to a large colander, but be sure you drizzle with a little oil as they will a stick to one another as they cool.
The sauce is quite easy to make and you can just throw the ingredients into a small saucepan while you cook the raviolis. I didn't brown the garlic, I just threw it all in at once, let the butter melt, and stirred it every minute or so.
Serve the raviolis with a drizzle of the sauce and thoroughly enjoy!

Vegan Sweet Potato and Ricotta Ravioli with a Butter-Garlic Cream Sauce

November 20, 2012 by epicureanvegan

I’m very proud of this meal. And it was certainly a labor of love. Three hours of labor, to be exact. (Although that includes the Caesar salad I had to make.) Luckily, many of the steps involved can be made way ahead of time and kept in the fridge, making assembly and cooking time a breeze. It may have taken a while to make, but it was nothing compared to my first attempt at raviolis. I got wise and bought a ravioli mold that made the process so much easier!! (Check out this great YouTube video on how to use it). I threw together a butter-garlic cream sauce which looks pretty weird, as you can see, but I promise you, it tastes better than it looks. After using the ravioli mold, I’m excited to try other types of ravioli—it’s less daunting now that I’ve got the right tools. The sweet potato and tofu ricotta are an excellent combo! You can also try my soy-free version. I made enough dough and filling to feed an army; I easily could have made a 100 raviolis. The leftovers are perfect for freezing and saving for another meal. Feel free to half the recipes for the dough, fillings, and sauce to make about 50 raviolis. (One serving is 10-12 raviolis). Even though there are several steps to this meal, they’re very simple and there’s nothing like fresh pasta!

INGREDIENTS:
Dough
2 C flour
2 C semolina flour
1 tsp salt
2 Tbs olive oil
1-1/2 to 2 C water

Sweet Potato Filling
2 sweet potatoes
3 large green onion, minced
2 Tbs almond milk
salt and pepper

Ricotta Filling
14-oz extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
1/3 C nutritional yeast
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 Tbs lemon juice

Butter-Garlic Cream Sauce
3 large cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 C vegan margarine
3 Tbs flour
3/4 to 1 C almond milk
salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Begin by cooking the sweet potatoes. I cooked them in the microwave to save some time—only took 10 minutes. Scoop out the potato and mash it with a fork or pastry blender. Stir in the almond milk and combine well. Add the green onion, salt, and pepper; set aside. To make the ricotta, combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth; set aside. To make the dough, combine the flours and salt in a large bowl of a stand mixer (you can use a food processor too). While the mixer is running, slowly add the oil, then water until you reach a somewhat damp (but not too sticky) dough.

Knead on a lightly floured surface for 3-5 minutes. I used my pasta maker to roll out flat sheets. You can easily use a rolling pin instead. Lay a sheet of dough over the metal portion of the mold. Place the plastic mold on top and press gently, creating pockets for the filling. Place about a teaspoon of each filling into each pocket.

Place another sheet of dough on top and press down, sealing the edges and flattening the top. Using a rolling pin, roll over the top to create the raviolis. (Again, check out the You Tube video at the beginning of the post to see this magic happen).

So much better than trying to make by hand! The mold was worth the $20 I paid for it. Let the raviolis sit for about 20 minutes. To make the sauce, combine the garlic and vegan margarine in a small saucepan and melt the butter. Whisk in the flour, one tablespoon at a time. Slowly whisk in the almond milk, using enough to reach a semi-thick consistency; keep warm. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Using a spatula, I placed 12 raviolis at a time, into the pot. Boil for 5-7 minutes, then remove with a slotted spoon to a colander.

Repeat the process until they’re all cooked. (For the last dozen, instead of removing with the slotted spoon, I placed the colander in the sink and poured the remaining raviolis and boiling water into the colander. That way, the other raviolis that cooled off could be somewhat reheated).

Drizzle a ladle of sauce over a serving of the raviolis and enjoy!

Vegan Sweet Potato and Ricotta Ravioli with a Butter-Garlic Cream Sauce

I'm very proud of this meal. And it was certainly a labor of love. Three hours of labor, to be exact. (Although that includes the Caesar salad I had to make.) Luckily, many of the steps involved can be made way ahead of time and kept in the fridge, making assembly and cooking time a breeze. It may have taken a while to make, but it was nothing compared to my first attempt at raviolis. I got wise and bought a ravioli mold that made the process so much easier!! (Check out this great YouTube video on how to use it). I threw together a butter-garlic cream sauce which looks pretty weird, as you can see, but I promise you, it tastes better than it looks. After using the ravioli mold, I'm excited to try other types of ravioli---it's less daunting now that I've got the right tools. The sweet potato and tofu ricotta are an excellent combo! You can also try my soy-free version. I made enough dough and filling to feed an army; I easily could have made a 100 raviolis. The leftovers are perfect for freezing and saving for another meal. Feel free to half the recipes for the dough, fillings, and sauce to make about 50 raviolis. (One serving is 10-12 raviolis). Even though there are several steps to this meal, they're very simple and there's nothing like fresh pasta!

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

Dough
2 C flour
2 C semolina flour
1 tsp salt
2 Tbs olive oil
1-1/2 to 2 C water
Sweet Potato Filling
2 sweet potatoes
3 large green onion, minced
2 Tbs almond milk
salt and pepper
Ricotta Filling
14-oz extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
⅓ C nutritional yeast
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
2 Tbs lemon juice
Butter-Garlic Cream Sauce
3 large cloves of garlic, minced
½ C vegan margarine
3 Tbs flour
¾ to 1 C almond milk
salt and pepper

Directions

Begin by cooking the sweet potatoes. I cooked them in the microwave to save some time---only took 10 minutes.
Scoop out the potato and mash it with a fork or pastry blender.
Stir in the almond milk and combine well.
Add the green onion, salt, and pepper; set aside.
To make the ricotta, combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth; set aside.
To make the dough, combine the flours and salt in a large bowl of a stand mixer (you can use a food processor too). While the mixer is running, slowly add the oil, then water until you reach a somewhat damp (but not too sticky) dough.
Knead on a lightly floured surface for 3-5 minutes. I used my pasta maker to roll out flat sheets. You can easily use a rolling pin instead.
Lay a sheet of dough over the metal portion of the mold. Place the plastic mold on top and press gently, creating pockets for the filling. Place about a teaspoon of each filling into each pocket.
Place another sheet of dough on top and press down, sealing the edges and flattening the top. Using a rolling pin, roll over the top to create the raviolis. (Again, check out the You Tube video at the beginning of the post to see this magic happen).
So much better than trying to make by hand! The mold was worth the $20 I paid for it. Let the raviolis sit for about 20 minutes.
To make the sauce, combine the garlic and vegan margarine in a small saucepan and melt the butter.
Whisk in the flour, one tablespoon at a time. Slowly whisk in the almond milk, using enough to reach a semi-thick consistency; keep warm.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Using a spatula, I placed 12 raviolis at a time, into the pot. Boil for 5-7 minutes, then remove with a slotted spoon to a colander.
Repeat the process until they're all cooked. (For the last dozen, instead of removing with the slotted spoon, I placed the colander in the sink and poured the remaining raviolis and boiling water into the colander. That way, the other raviolis that cooled off could be somewhat reheated).
Drizzle a ladle of sauce over a serving of the raviolis and enjoy!

Potato-Filled Spinach Ravioli with Mushroom-Truffle Sauce

Pine Nut & Cashew Ravioli with Fresh Mushrooms, Tomatoes & Basil

Alfredo Ravioli (and a beautiful white morning)

Homemade Gluten-Free Ravioli

Beet Ravioli with a Garlic-Butter Walnut Sauce

Vegan Sweet Potato and Ricotta Ravioli with a Butter-Garlic Cream Sauce

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