Leek and Cabbage Ravioli
If you’re a vegetarian then it can be somewhat hard to find incredible dishes that taste great without the addition of meat products, often turning to side dishes or veggie plates.
Well, have no fear because I am here to show you a delicious vegetarian dish that can be enjoyed by any lover of pasta and veggies: Leek and cabbage ravioli served with brown butter. I am not a vegetarian, but I do enjoy dishes like this because they help me feel good and they taste so good that it doesn’t even bother me that there’s no meat involved.
Let’s do it!
Serves 6
Time: 1 hour
Difficulty: Easy
For the Filling:
1/3 head savoy cabbage
1/3 head green cabbage
1 leek, trimmed, washed and thinly sliced
1 tbsp unsalted butter or olive oil
7oz various mature cheeses such as Parmigiano Reggiano, Pecorino, or mature Cheddar
1 3/4oz fresh breadcrumbs
A pinch of salt
For the Pasta Dough:
2/3 cup rye or whole wheat flour
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
A pinch of salt
1 cup warm water
To serve:
5 tbsp unsalted butter
6 fresh sage leaves
Bring a pot of salted water to a simmer.
Remove the tough outer leaves of both cabbage varieties then slice as thin as possible and add that to the simmering water and cook until tender. (It’s best to cook the separate cabbage varieties separately as they may cook at different rates). Remove the cabbage from the water once cooked, then reserve a cup of cooking water. (You should end up with 7oz of cooked cabbage)
In a saute pan, sweat down the sliced leek in some butter or oil for about 7 minutes, or until the leek is nice and soft. Leave to cool while you grate the cheeses.
Now combine the cooked leeks with the cabbage, cheese, and breadcrumbs. Taste and season with salt if needed.
To make the pasta dough, combine both flours with a pinch of salt in a medium bowl, then add enough warm water to get a stiff, workable dough. Dump the dough onto a floured surface then knead for a few minutes to activate the gluten strands. Set aside to rest for 20 minutes.
Cut the dough in half and keep one half covered while you roll the other into a very thin sheet. Take walnut sized portions of filling and lay them in a row about 1 inch apart on one side of the dough. Fold the other side over the filling, then use your fingers to press out the air around the filling and squeeze the two halves of pasta together. Use a ravioli cutter to cut the dough into squares.
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a gentle simmer, then, working in batches if needed, carefully lower your ravioli into the water and wait for them to float to the surface. Keep in mind that ravioli is basically two sheets of pasta squeezed together so it may take a bit longer than, say, fettuccine.
While the ravioli cooks, melt the butter with the sage in a wide pan and cook until it smells nutty and the sage becomes crispy. Drain the ravioli and toss them with the sage butter, then serve right away.
