4 eggs
4 – 6 cups of flour
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 recipe, Ravioli Filling
Place the flour on a board or in a very large bowl. Create a well (or hole) in the center of the flour mound. Break the eggs into the center. Add the oil and salt to the center of the well. Using a fork, break up the egg yolks and start mixing yolks, whites, salt and oil together. Gradually begin to include the flour into the center of the well. Keep mixing until the center becomes very gooey. With your (clean) fingers, pull any clinging dough from the fork and dive in with your hands, continuing to incorporate the flour into the center until it forms a smooth, mildly sticky ball. There should be left over flour. Leave it. You can use it later to flour the pasta machine or rolling pin or dough board. Knead the dough briefly and then wrap in plastic and let rest for about an hour.
Michael’s grandmother was a tiny, white-haired lady who spoke broken english, but she had the hands of a longshoreman. She could manhandle dough like none other.
When you unwrap the dough it will feel soft and smooth. Slice the dough into at least 4 equal slices (about an inch thick — you may get more) and then set up your pasta maker. Set the rollers to the number #1 setting and put the first slice through a few times, fold each sheet over once each time you press it through the rollers. Then proceed to increase the rollers, one setting at a time, ending at number 4 or 5 depending on the desired thickness.
Place the sheet of pasta on a floured surface. Using a teaspoon, scoop some ravioli filling and place a mound in a line along the lower half of the sheet — you should get about 6 mounds a sheet or 6 ravioli’s per person. Fold the upper half of the sheet over the lower half. Press all around each ricotta mound to make sure there are no air pockets. Then, using a crimper cut around each mound to form a ravioli. If you are not boiling right away, place each ravioli on a baking sheet dusted with cornmeal.
Once the sheet if full, move to the freezer. Once the ravioli’s are frozen you can transfer them to a freezer bag or container for long-term freezing. Otherwise, drop the fresh ravioli’s into boiling water. Keep an eye on them. You may need to turn them once during the 5-6 minute cook time. They should float. Be gentle with them. They can easily break. Boil 2-3 minutes longer if using frozen raviolis. Use a slotted spoon to remove them from the pot. Let them drain and then sauce them slightly to keep them from sticking.
*note: a good rule of thumb, is to estimate 1-2 eggs per person and then as much flour as the eggs will absorb, approximately 1+ cups. this recipe feeds 4 people generously.