Cep ravioli with roasted nuts and sage butter - Step 1

Classic French

Cep ravioli with roasted nuts and sage butter

This dish is a firm favourite in The Raymond Blanc Cookery School

Prep —Cook —Serves 2
This vegetarian mushroom ravioli recipe is a firm favourite in The Raymond Blanc Cookery School. I created it when I was working as a guest chef in the cookery school of the beautiful Villa San Michele in Tuscany. The star ingredient is the magnificent cep mushroom (or cepe in France). It also goes by the name king bolete, penny bun and porcini. It has a distinct aroma like fermented dough. Aside from truffles, a cep is one of the most prized finds for the forager because it is meaty, rich and very versatile. The pasta can be prepared a day in advance and keep tightly wrapped in cling film in the fridge. The ravioli can be assembled a few hours in advance.

Ingredients

For the pasta

  • 4 xSheets of pasta 60x10 cm

For the filling

  • 20gButter, unsalted
  • 30gShallot, medium, finely chopped
  • 300gFresh cep mushrooms, trimmed, cleaned with a damp cloth and cut into small dice 3mm
  • 1 pinchSea salt & freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4Lemon juice

For the sauce

  • 40gButter, unsalted
  • 4Sage leaves, finely chopped
  • 10gPine nuts, toasted golden brown in a
  • 10gHazelnuts, oven (170°C), 10 mins, lightly crushed
  • 80mlWater or brown chicken stock (see basic recipe)
  • 1/4Lemon juice

For the garnish

  • 200gCeps, sliced or quartered
  • 20gButter, unsalted
  • 1 pinchSalt
  • 1 pinchPepper
  • 1 dashLemon juice
  • 8Deep fried sage leaves and aged parmesan flakes

Method

  1. 1

    In a medium sauté pan over a low heat, soften the shallot in the butter for 2 minutes until translucent, add the diced ceps and cook over a high heat, stirring continuously for 2 minutes.

    Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

    Remove from the heat, add a dash of lemon juice, and cool down.

  2. 2

    Filling the ravioli Lay one pasta sheet on a clean surface. Lightly place a teaspoon of the filling in mounds at intervals along the centre.

    You will have 7 mounds per sheet. Ensure that a gap of 4cm is maintained between each mound.

    Take a second sheet and drape it loosely over, pressing around the mounds of filling with the back of your thumbs to seal. Ensure there are no air bubbles and that the two layers of pasta are compressed into a thin layer (1mm).

    To make the task of cutting out the ravioli easier, cover the pasta with cling film and with an inverted 7cm cutter, press down around the mounds to compress the layers of pasta. Lift the cling film and, using the sharp side of the cutter, cut out the ravioli.

    Reserve them on a cling-filmed tray dusted with semolina to prevent them from sticking. Repeat for the other two strips of pasta.

    You will have 2 extra ravioli in reserve.

  3. 3

    For the sauce Cooking the pasta Heat the butter to the beurre noisette stage and add the chopped sage, toasted pine nuts and hazelnuts, water or brown chicken stock and, last, the lemon juice to create an emulsion.

    Reserve and keep warm.

    Cook the ravioli in plenty of boiling salted water for 4 minutes.

    With a large slotted spoon, lift the ravioli onto a small tray lined with a cloth to drain.

  4. 4

    For the garnish Pan-fry the ceps in the butter for 2 minutes.

    Season with salt and pepper and a dash of lemon juice.

  5. 5

    To serve Place three ravioli on each plate, and spoon the sauce and ceps over them.

    Arrange two sage leaves on each plate.

    Grate aged parmesan over the dish.

  6. 6

    Variations See Pumpkin ravioli, Agnolotti.

Chef's Tips

“
If you are unable to find cep mushrooms you can use chestnut mushrooms or a wild mushroom mix.

Cooking is always an expression of care and generosity. Enjoy this dish.

Bon appétit!

Recipe © Raymond Blanc 2018 Food Photography © Chris Terry 2018