Craig Claibornes Ravioli Recipes

CRAB RAVIOLI WITH LEMON BUTTER

Steps:

• Make the filling: Mix together ricotta, crabmeat, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and the red-pepper flakes.
• Make the ravioli: Lightly flour a baking sheet. Working in batches, arrange 45 wonton wrappers on a work surface; keep remaining wrappers covered with a damp paper towel. Mound 1 teaspoon crab filling in the center of each. Brush edges of wrappers with egg wash, and top each with another wrapper. Press edges to seal. Cut out circles using a 2 1/4-inch cookie cutter; transfer to baking sheet.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Working in 2 batches, cook ravioli until they rise to the top, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the sauce: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Melt 4 tablespoons butter, and heat until just bubbling and frothy. Transfer first batch of ravioli to skillet using a slotted spoon, along with about 2 tablespoons cooking liquid. Add 1 teaspoon chopped lemon peel and 1 teaspoon juice, and swirl to combine. Transfer to plates.
• Repeat with second batch of ravioli. Garnish with chervil.

CRAIG CLAIBORNE'S RAVIOLI

Steps:

• Prepare noodle dough and set aside.
• Heat butter in saucepan and add garlic. Cook briefly and add beef. Cook, stirring and chopping down with the side of a heavy metal spoon to break up lumps, about 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper and stir. Remove from heat. Let cool.
• Add basil, marjoram, egg, cream, bread crumbs, cheese and parsley. Blend well.
• Roll out pasta.
• If a ravioli maker is used, cover utensil with thin sheet of pasta, add about 1 1/2 teaspoons of filling for each ravioli. Cover with second sheet of pasta and press between fillings to exclude air.Use rolling pin to seal pasta and to cut them as you roll.
• Remove ravioli to a rack. Let dry for 1 1/2 hours before cooking. To cook, drop ravioli into boiling water without crowding. Let boil about 7 minutes or to desired degree of doneness. Drain and serve with meat sauce (see recipe).

GOAT CHEESE FILLING FOR RAVIOLI

Steps:

• Put the goat cheese, ricotta, salt, pepper, cream, chives and egg yolk in a mixing bowl. Blend well.
• When ready to use the filling, scoop out about one and one-half teaspoons of the mixture, and roll into a ball. There should be about 32 balls in all. Fill the rolled-out pasta dough. When the ravioli are cooked, serve with tomato sauce. Serve four or more portions as an appetizer. Serve eight to 10 portions as a main course.

CRAIG CLAIBORNE'S SOUTHERN CORNBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Sift the flour, cornmeal, baking soda, and salt into a mixing bowl.
• Beat the eggs until foamy and stir them into the dry mixture.
• Stir in the buttermilk and 1 cup whole milk.
• Heat the butter in a 9 X 2-inch black skillet, and when it is very hot but not brown, pour in the batter.
• Carefully pour the remaining 1 cup whole milk on top of the batter without stirring.
• Place the dish in the oven and bake 50 minutes, or until set and baked through.
• Slice into wedges.