Scallop Ravioli

I bought a pasta machine.  I know, I've always said you can make pasta with just a rolling pin, but I had a gift certificate.  I also picked up some dessert ramekins.  True to my anti-hoarding practices, I went through my sauce and dessert cups and got rid of more cups than I bought.  In the smallwares department, I got rid of the extra waffle iron and immersion blender.  I realized that I never use the stick blender, even though it's easier to clean.  It created just enough room in the cabinet for the box.

This coincided with picking up some scallops in the last-day, 50% off bin.  I haven't made scallops yet on this blog simply because they're way too expensive ($15/lb) for something I don't love.  I'm still making easy-chew food, and this seemed like a good idea because I could purée the scallops before cooking.  They can be pretty tough if you just pan-fry them.

I did research potential recipes, but none were exactly what I wanted.  I was looking for something creamy, maybe cheesy, with plenty of herbs.  Just about everything had tomatoes in it.  I wanted those on the side.  So, I'm striking out on my own for this one.

I had a little more scallops than what I'm suggesting for this recipe, so I tried to make quenelles with the rest of the filling.  That's just a fancy name for a forcemeat that has been poached in an oval shape without any casing.  Kind of like a gefilte fish, but this one wasn't kosher.  They are often made as a way to test the seasoning levels before finishing a dish.  Mine didn't hold their shape very well, but I liked the taste.  That's the meatball-like blob in the center.

1 batch pasta dough

Filling
1/2 lb raw scallops, any size
1 stalk green onion
*1 clove garlic
*2 Tb parmesan cheese
*1 tsp parsley flakes
salt and pepper

Sauce
*1 C white wine
1 Tb minced green onion
*1 clove garlic, minced
*1/2 tsp dill weed
*1 Tb parsley flakes
1/2 C cream
1 Tb butter
salt and pepper to taste

1.  Prepare pasta dough and refrigerate.

2.  In food processor, pulse all filling ingredients into a paste.  You're going to have to guess on the salt and pepper, since you can't taste it.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

3.  Divide pasta into two or four pieces, depending on how you want to work.  Roll out pasta dough to desired thickness, about four inches wide and as long as you can handle it without tearing.  Place teaspoonfuls of filling side-by-side every few inches up to the halfway point of the dough.  Dampen dough between filling and fold over empty side of pasta.  Press down around filling, being careful not to tear the dough over the filling bumps.  With a knife or pizza cutter, cut ravioli squares.  Refrigerate, covered in plastic wrap, if not ready to cook immediately.

4.  Boil a large pot of lightly salted water.  They are going to get slightly bigger as they cook.  Gently place ravioli in water and return to a low boil.  Cook while making sauce.

5.  In a small saucepan, simmer together wine and herbs for about 3 minutes.  You don't want the wine to reduce too much, but it should pick up the flavors.  Add cream and butter and bring back up to a low boil.  Reduce to desired consistency.  Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.

6.  Once pasta is cooked, drain and rinse under cool water.  Plate, then spoon no more than 1/4 C sauce over each serving of ravioli.  Garnish with parsley flakes if desired.  Place remainder of sauce in a gravy boat or similar dish for anyone who wants more.

Serves 3-4

Difficulty rating $@%!