GOAT CHEESE FILLING FOR RAVIOLI & WALNUT SAUCE

We all know how to make ravioli (if you dont then go check out my older posts here on this blog and if you are still having issues, contact me !)

I picked up this savory dish (referring to the filling and sauce) from a friends restaurant in Mugello, Italy..... Its pretty easy and just simply buonissimo !

YOU'LL NEED:
(serves 4-6)

THE FILLING
- 1.5 cups of goat cheese (crumbled)
- 1/2 cup of minced basil (fresh please)
- 3 t spoons minced garlic
- 1/2 cup of finely chopped toasted walnuts
- 1 T spoon lemon zest (minced is suggested)
- 1 t spoon black pepper
- 1 t spoon salt
- 1.5 T spoons extra virgin olive oil
- dash of nutmeg

THE SAUCE
- 1/2 cup chopped and lightly toasted walnuts
- 4 T spoons butter
- 1/4 cup chopped shallots
- 1 large garlic clove minced
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1.5 cups cooking cream
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/3 cup chopped basil (fresh of course)
- dash of red pepper flakes
- pinch of salt

PREPARATION

- Start off by placing a large bowl in front of you and add in the toasted walnuts, the goat cheese, olive oil, lemon zest, garlic, nutmeg, pepper, salt and mix.
- You will need to have prepared your long (1 meter is good) pasta sheets on a work surface, you will need 3. Make sure that your surface is dusted with flour.
- With a t spoon, you will want to place spoon full of the above mixture approximately 2.5 inches apart and approximately 1/3 up from the bottom edge of your pasta sheet.
- With an egg yolk and a T spoon of water, wash over the edges of the pasta sheets.
- Fold over the top portion of the pasta sheet so that it meets the bottom edge.
- With an expresso cup or your hand you will need make a seal around each of your filling balls, you need to make sure that the air is out of the newly born ravioli (this is important so that they will not just remain on the top of the water when cooking them)
- Cut your ravioli the size you prefer, some like more pasta dough around the edges, others little. You can dust them with cornmeal to avoid them sticking together, when dried you can freeze for a rainy day or just place in the fridge for tonights dinner.

THE SAUCE
-In a large saucepan or skillet, melt 3 T spoons of butter and medium heat and when melted, add in your toasted and finely chopped walnuts and let cook for about 5 minutes until they are slightly browned. Remove from your saucepan and put aside.
- Now add in 1 T spoon of butter, the garlic, shallots and cook on low heat for about 3 minutes.
- Add your dry white wine and your cooking cream to the above (butter, garlic, shallots) and turn up the heat to medium and cook until your new sauce has thickened, this will take about 5-7 minutes. Now, add in the basil, salt, pepper and take off the heat and cover.
- Bring to a boil in a kettle salted and oiled (1 T spoon olive oil) and carefully add in your ravioli until the rise to the top which wont take more than 4-5 minutes. Drain ever so carefully and transfer them to your sauce pan and stir so that they are completely covered by your dreamy sauce.
- Plat the ravioli (4 or 5 per plate) and sprinkly with grated parmesan cheese and serve!
ENJOY