How to make #eggplant ravioli: a step-by-step guide for the home cook
Tell me the truth. I think ravioli is a promise. I have to make dough. You have to wait until you rest. It needs to be rolled so thin that you can slide your fingers through it. But what if the bean paste itself was delicious? What if you didn’t need a complicated sauce to preserve it?
Don’t make this eggplant ravioli recipe. We use a simple semolina dough that mixes quickly. The filling is smoky, spicy and has tangy salami. This is not traditional Italian food. It’s not even strictly Turkish. This is just delicious food.
Here’s how to build it without losing heart.
The Dough That Actually Works
Most people give up at the dough stage. They use too much water. It becomes slime. This recipe avoids this by using a specific ratio of flour to semolina.
You will need 1 cup of white flour. half a glass of water. egg. The most important thing is 1 tablespoon of semolina (ilmic). Semolina gives the dough texture and a slight graininess that helps it withstand boiling.
Mix the flour, semolina and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Crack in the egg. Add water slowly. It doesn’t remove everything at once. Knead the dough until smooth. Not sticky. Not dry. Just right.
Cover with cloth. Let it sit. This is not an option. Gluten needs time to relax. If you roll it out immediately, it will snap back at you. Wait at least 30 minutes.
Filling That Needs No Apology
While the dough rests, roast an eggplant. You can also use a gas stove or an oven. Fry until the outside is black and the inside is soft. Please peel it off. Cut into small pieces.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan. Add a large red onion and 1 minced garlic clove. Fry until translucent. Add three-quarters of a cup of chopped salami. The salt from the salami means you can go easy on additional seasoning.
Add chopped eggplant. Add 1 teaspoon of dried paprika flakes. This way, the eggplant salami is slowly cooked to achieve a rich and cheesy texture. Cook until the eggplants break down a bit. It should be moist but not watery. Using a moist filling will result in soggy ravioli. Dry filling tastes bland. The purpose is to form a thick paste.
Easy to assemble
Roll your rested dough out. Thinly. If you have a pasta machine, use it. If not, use a rolling pin and be a little patient. Cut out the circle. You don’t need a specialized ravioli stamp. A small glass works fine.
Place a spoonful of eggplant salami in the center of each circle. Fold them over. Press the edges firmly to seal. Air pockets are your enemy. They explode into the water and your efforts spill into the pot.
Place the ravioli in boiling salted water. It is ready when it floats on the surface of the water. This usually takes 3-5 minutes. Do not overcook. If you let it soak for 10 minutes, it will turn into mush.
