Home Made Ravioli with Sun Dried Tomato Sauce

A Traveler's Culinary Adventure: Homemade Ravioli in the Tuscan Sun

The aroma of sun-dried tomatoes and simmering chicken filled the air, a fragrant symphony that spoke of rustic Italian kitchens and sun-drenched Tuscan hillsides. I wasn't actually *in* Tuscany, but my small apartment kitchen, overlooking a bustling city street, managed to conjure up the magic nonetheless. It all started with a simple idea – to use up the odds and ends lingering in my refrigerator after a week of exploring local markets and indulging in delicious street food. The result? An unexpectedly magnificent plate of homemade ravioli, a culinary triumph that transported me far beyond the confines of my city apartment.

My journey began with a simple desire – to create something comforting, something that echoed the warmth and generosity of the Italian people I'd encountered on my travels. I'd seen countless pasta makers in action, their hands deftly shaping dough into works of art, and I felt a sudden urge to replicate that process, to feel the connection between ingredients and the creation of something delicious. The experience of making pasta from scratch became as much a part of the adventure as sampling the incredible regional delicacies I'd tasted in my travels. The feel of the dough under my hands, the precise movements needed to create perfect pasta sheets, it was all a meditation in itself. The process wasn't about following a strict recipe, but rather about embracing improvisation, much like the culinary traditions I’d witnessed firsthand in Italy, relying on the freshness of ingredients and the creative spirit of the moment.

The filling, a vibrant blend of cheddar and feta cheeses, speckled with the intense flavor of sun-dried tomatoes, was a testament to the unexpected flavor combinations one can discover when embracing culinary improvisation. It’s about using what you have, letting your creative juices flow, and trusting your taste buds to guide you. The simplicity of the sauce – fragrant herbs, sun-dried tomatoes, and tender chicken – perfectly complemented the richness of the cheese filling, making this dish not just delicious, but also remarkably simple to execute. It was a reflection of the Italian cooking philosophy: celebrating simple ingredients and letting their natural flavors shine through. This isn't just a recipe; it's a journey of discovery, a reminder that even the most seemingly ordinary ingredients can become extraordinary when infused with passion and creativity.

The final product was a testament to the power of simple ingredients and a little culinary experimentation. The homemade ravioli, plump and perfect, nestled in a rich, sun-dried tomato sauce, offered a taste of rustic Italian charm right in my city apartment. Each bite transported me back to the sun-drenched streets and bustling markets of Italy, a reminder that culinary adventures can be found anywhere, even in the most unexpected places. And that's the real magic of cooking – the ability to transform simple ingredients into extraordinary experiences.

The beauty of this recipe lies in its adaptability. You can easily substitute ingredients based on your preferences and what you have on hand. Perhaps you’d like to add some spinach to the filling or swap the chicken for sausage. The possibilities are endless, encouraging a spirit of experimentation and creativity in the kitchen.

More than just a meal, this homemade ravioli is a story. It's a story of travel, inspiration, and the unexpected joys of culinary creation. It's a reminder that the most rewarding experiences often come from embracing the unexpected, trusting your instincts, and allowing your creativity to guide you. So, gather your ingredients, embrace the process, and create your own culinary adventure, one ravioli at a time. Because in the end, it’s not just about the food; it’s about the journey of making it.

Step-by-step

• Pasta Dough: Mix eggs, flour and 4 tblsp olive oil, fresh cut cilantro, salt and make a dough ball. Set aside, cover and let rest.
• Garlic: Chop it up very fine and pour salt over it. Then push knife blade down on garlic and salt and mush it together to a paste.
• Tomato Sauce: Heat olive oil in wide pan, cut chicken into small pieces and put into pan. Add finely chopped and pressed garlic and diced onion to the chicken and brown for about 10 minutes by medium heat. Add sun-dried tomatoes and let simmer about 5 minutes. Pour tomato sauce in a medium pot, add sun-dried tomatoes, herbs de provence, cinnamon, marjoram and salt and pepper. Mix and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Add sauce to chicken, mix all together and set heat to low.
• Ravioli Filling: Mix cheddar and feta cheese. Add finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Add about 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce to the cheese to make a sticky mixture which shouldn't be too runny and not too dry.
• Ravioli: Split dough in smaller pieces and press flat on a floured surface. Then roll through pasta maker as often as needed to create sheets of pasta. With a teaspoon dip the ravioli filling in 2" distance onto the sheets. Use a brush, dip in water and wet the edges around each filling spot. Place a same sized sheet over the sheet with the filling and press together. Use a ravioli edger to finish the single pieces.
• Heat water in a large pot and add ravioli to boiling water. Cook for about 10 minutes.
• When ravioli are done, serve on a plate, cover with the tomato sauce and sprinkle with parmesan.