Inside out

Like most of the special occasions we've navigated over the past year, Valentine's Day will be different. However, unlike those other special occasions, Valentine's Day isn't a crowd fest. Fortunately, loosened restrictions now allow our local restaurants (with fabulous service and fare) to offer limited dine-in service. Better yet, with social distancing and the required table spacing, romantic  privacy is built right into the mix. No crowded bars or long table wait times. Dinner for two peas in a pod. Different. Safe. Special. That said, if dining out is off the table, curbside, carryout, or delivery is the way to go for romancing the home. In any case, there must always be chocolate. Splurge on beautiful pastries from a local bakery, snag heart-shaped boxes filled with assorted chocolates, or scratch make a heartfelt Valentine's treat. Go big or go small. Chocolate is chocolate. And chocolate always wins. 

Chocolate Ravioli With Sweetened Mascarpone.

Inside out.

Not chocolate filled ravioli. Chocolate pasta ravioli. 

With hints of sweetness balancing the soft bittersweet undertones of dark chocolate, chocolate  pasta is a perfect foil for sweet fillings and sauces. 

Chocolate Pasta.

I sifted 2 cups all purpose flour, 1/3 cup unsweetened dark dark cocoa powder, and 1/4 cup powdered sugar until blended.  After adding a pinch of salt, I made a well in the center of the flour and cracked 3 large eggs into the well. After gradually pulling the flour and eggs together until it form a shaggy dough, I pulled the dough together and kneaded it on a clean work surface for 10 minutes until it was smooth and pliable I shaped the dough into a disc, wrapped it in plastic wrap, and slid it into the refrigerator to rest and chill.

Filling.

While the dough took a break, I whipped together 8 ounces room temperature mascarpone cheese, 1/4

cup super fine sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream, and a splash of fresh lemon.  I set the filling aside and  pulled the dough from the refrigerator to take the chill off.

Roll.

In the realm of scratch pasta, ravioli isn't fiddly. Roll and fill.

I used a bench scraper to divide the dough into 1/4 sections. Working with one section at a time, while keeping the remaining dough covered, I used a hand cranked pasta machine to roll the dough. After flattening the dough to fit the width of the pasta roller, I I rolled it through the largest setting 3 times, folding it in half after each pass. When the dough became soft and easy to work with, I rolled the dough through each setting, lowering the setting after each pass and ending before the thinnest setting.

While ravioli is simple enough to fill, fold, seal, and cut without a ravioli mold, I used a mold because...well...I had one. They're easy to use and roll out consistent shaped raviolis. 

I draped one pasta sheet over the mold let the excess dough hang over the edge of the mold, and gently formed pockets in each ravioli well. I pulled the filling from the refrigerator, filled a pastry bag with the filling ( small spooned dollops would have worked as well) , and piped the mascarpone filling into each well. After covering the filling and pasta with another pasta sheet, I carefully pressed the between filled well to seal the dough, and used a rolling pin to press the sheets together against the serrated edges to seal and cut the ravioli. After removing the excess dough from the edges, I popped the ravioli out of the mold. 

Cooked at a gentle boil for 8-10 minutes, they're fabulous straight up or dolled up with chocolate ganache and fresh berries.

A chocolate Ravioli Valentine.

Wine And Cheese

Like walking a tight rope of hope, navigating the frenzy around special occasion date nights can be tricky business. I'm looking at you, Valentine's Day. Whether it's a big night out at a fancy-shmancy restaurant, the comfort of a local dive bar, or the warmth of a cozy fireside meal, we all want something special, romantic, and memorable.  I totally get the hype and the hope. And while I'm  down with  the glitz, glam, and hoopla of a big night out, I'm also perfectly content with a simple low key riff on wine and cheese.

Drunken Red Wine Spaghetti With Gorgonzola Mousse.
Spaghetti cooked in red wine brings sexy to the table.

Whip It Up.
With a haunting pungent funk, the creamy buttery texture of blue-veined Italian gorgonzola dolce works magic when blended into a savory ethereal mousse.

After bringing 6 ounces gorgonzola  and 3 ounces cream cheese to room temperature, I used an old fashioned hand held mixer to whip them together until fully combined and set the mix aside.

Working with a chilled bowl and whisk on a stand mixer, I whipped 3/4 cups heavy whipping cream until soft peaks formed before adding 1 tablespoon sherry.  When the whipped cream formed stiff peaks, I gently folded the creamed gorgonzola into the whipped cream until it almost floated off my spatula, covered the mousse plastic wrap, and set it aside.

Lady And The Tramp.
Spaghetti. Plain old dried spaghetti. That's the happy dance here. As much as I love making fresh pasta, scratch made pasta doesn't work with this method. It cooks too quickly. Dried spaghetti needs time to absorb the wine as it cooks while remaining al dente. Total win.

With a bit of pot juggling, drunken spaghetti is simple and quick. Little effort. Big payoff.

Double duty.
Working over a medium flame,  I sauteed 2 minced shallots in 2 tablespoons olive oil in a wide high-sided saute pan. When the shallots turned translucent, I added 2 minced garlic cloves, a pinch of dried red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, salt, and cracked black pepper. After letting the garlic release into the oil, I hit the pan with a full bottle (750ml) of Cabernet-Sauvignon.

While the aromatic wine did its thing, I filled a large stock pot with water and bought it to a rolling boil before adding a handful of salt  and 1 pound dried spaghetti. After 3 minutes, I drained the pasta, reserving 1 cup of pasta water, and feathered it into the simmering red wine. Once added to the wine, I cranked the heat to high and boiled the pasta for 6-8 minutes until tender (yet, still al dente) and the pasta absorbed the wine. After adding 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water and 1/4 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese, I pulled the pasta from the heat and downed a glass of comforting Cabernet.

Twirl.
While the pasta was still warm, I used a large carving fork to twirl it into shape, piped the gorgonzola mousse to the side, and nestled  prosciutto-wrapped fresh Bartlett pears into the mousse before finishing with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, fresh parsley, and flaked sea salt.

Infused and stained with red wine, the pasta popped with robust earthy undertones. Faintingly light, the creamy mousse softened and swirled through the drunken spaghetti, tempering the tinge of heat from the red pepper flakes. While the parsley and olive oil added fruity grassiness.  the prosciutto-wrapped pears provided salty fresh crunch.

A little wine and cheese.
A little unexpected.

Fabulous.