What do Italians do when in lockdown? They cook.

The Ravioli that taste like mountains

Whenever I miss the mountains, I travel with imagination and food. I dream of being in a rustic restaurant where the most used words on the menu are butter, Montasio, and Speck!
My friend Elisa, author of the Italian cuisine blog “La Cucina di Eli” comes to my aid whenever I need a tasty dish.

These Ravioli filled with mushrooms and Montasio are good all-year-long but they have a vaguely autumnal twist which I adore. After all the beauty of the mountains is that the temperature is autumnal all year round, and you can enjoy more succulent recipes.

Elisa prepared this recipe in a show cooking a couple of years ago and it seemed the most suitable dish to satisfy my mountain gorges.

Montasio, mushroom and speck: Friuli Venezia Giulia in a dish

This ravioli recipe is simple, yet the flavors are genuine and typically Friulian. Montasio cheese blends with the chopped mushrooms. The two ingredients together are enhanced by the smoky taste of our Sauris speck.

If you are new to fresh pasta like me, arm yourself with time, patience, and a Dyson. Then, you’re ready to prepare these fantastic Ravioli stuffed with mushrooms and Montasio with crispy Sauris speck.

If you speak Italian and you want to read Elisa’s recipe, this is the moment to switch blogs and go on hers. Otherwise, stick with me.

Ingredients (serves 5):

For the dough:

• 400 gr of white flour
• 5 whole eggs

For the stuffing: 

• 300 gr of mushrooms (You can choose fresh Champignon or Porcini. To give a boost to the flavor you can also add some dried ones)
• 100 gr of seasoned Montasio cheese

Seasoning: 

• 100 gr of Sauris Speck
• Butter to taste
• Sage and/or rosemary

Method

Form a well with flour on a surface or in a large bowl. Inside the hole, break the eggs and add a pinch of salt. Knead until the ingredients blend and form a firm dough. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

In the meantime, take care of the mushrooms. You can start with fresh mushrooms (champignons or porcini) and eventually add some dried ones, previously softened in water or milk. Clean the mushrooms and chop them coarsely. In a non-stick pan, melt a knob of butter with a drizzle of oil and a clove of garlic. Pour in the mushrooms (including dried ones if you have chosen them) and let them wilt. Salt them lightly and grind some pepper. While the mushrooms are cooking, grate the Montasio and pour it into a mixer. Add the cooked mushrooms and activate the mixer until the mixture is crushed.

Here comes the longest passage. Using the pasta machine, roll out the dough gradually proceeding from the first to the second-last level. Lay the strips on a floured surface and make rounds with a pastry cutter. Arrange the filling in the center of the circles of dough and close the ravioli with the help of a little water on the edges.

When you are at a good point with the ravioli heat a pan of water. When it starts boiling, add salt and let the water boil again. Add the ravioli and cook them for 5 minutes. The time varies according to the size and thickness of the pasta so taste before draining.

In the pan in which you cooked the mushrooms, melt the butter and fry the Sauris speck previously cut into strips. I have kept a few slices aside to decorate. If you want, add a few leaves of sage and/or rosemary to the sauce.
Drain the ravioli and toss them in the Speck and butter sauce.
Serve them immediately and grate a seasoned Montasio on top.