Tortellini with Braised Beef and Homemade Ricotta
TORTELLINI - Braised Beef and Ricotta with Caramelized Onions
Some meals are worth that time, that time we spend in the kitchen, cutting, slicing, mixing, cooking and baking. We roll out pastry, we simmer sauces and we test to make sure it tastes like yumminess.
And so this is one of those meals, where you pour your heart and love into it and share with your family and friends.
You DO NOT have to make the ricotta, why do I make it you wonder? Not like I do nothing in one day, so why do I make the ricotta. Well first, it takes a bit of attention, not much time and the reward is tremendous, the best reason though is that my kids love and appreciate it!
I do buy ricotta often enough, I make no bones about it, so please do buy it to make this wonderful recipe.
Second short cut, buy egg roll pastry to make your ravioli, it is such a great timesaver and will work so well, you will have another tool in your food tool box you will use constantly.
I do make my own pasta for ravioli if time allows, but it is not necessary!
Braising/roasting your meat. I do it this way, (see below), others do it another, as long as your meat is scrumptious and tears apart deliciously, you are good to go.
To accompany this ravioli, I used my Bone Marrow Sauce, you can find it here, else, any good tomato sauce will do. I also think a sage brown butter sauce would be wonderful.
INGREDIENTS:
50 Egg roll wrappers (2 boxes in my case) (If frozen, thaw out at least 3 hours before)
1 ½ to 2 c. ricotta
1 c. caramelized onions
1 c. grated or flaked parmesan
2 tbsp. sea salt or 1 tbsp. table salt
1 tbsp. black pepper
STEP 1
5 lbs. blade roast, or a roast of your choice, cubed roast even…
Thickly sliced onions, carrots, celery
Seasoning
Salt and pepper
Cook, braise or roast the meat till fork tender over vegetables you have in your fridge, between 3-4 hours, making sure it remains moist. Remove from oven and let it cool.
STEP 2
MAKE RICOTTA – RECIPE HERE
STEP 3
MAKE FILLING!
Break the meat with a fork and cut up well to fit into the tortellini.
Add the caramelized onions, parmesan, ricotta, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.
STEP 4
ASSEMBLE TORTELLINI
Lay out the eggroll wrappers and place 1 tablespoon of filling on each, brush two corner sides with water and fold diagonally, seal well, wet one corner and fold it across the triangle to secure and form the tortellini. WATCH VIDEO HERE
Place on a lightly floured sheet pan, form all your tortellini, letting them dry a bit works well for cooking later and freezing.
STEP 5
COOK
Bring a large pot of water to boil, place approximately a dozen tortellini in at a time, do not crowd!
Cook 5 minutes.
STEP 6
EAT AND ENJOY!
Remove and place in your pasta bowl or in a dish, lightly cover with sauce so they do not stick together while you cook all your tortellini, repeating the same process.
Before serving, grate some parmesan cheese over the dish.
Take a picture or two, Instagram and share it, eat and enjoy!
