It is quite possible my pregnancy cravings are to blame for my recent fixation on ravioli. Either way, my husband appreciates it. How could this recipe get any better? It complements my desire for sweet and salty foods. I am sure my husband agrees, it sounds way more appealing than my craving for V8 juice drank no other way than through a Redvine straw.
Here is what you will need:
Pasta:
3 1/3 Cup Flour
2 TBS Water
1 Tsp Salt
4 Eggs
Filling:
2 Cups finely diced and sautéed ham
2 cups finely shredded cheddar cheese
2 Tbs water
Sauce:
1/4 Cup Butter
3 TBS Honey
Get started on the dough for the pasta first, as it will need to rest for 30 minutes after it is prepared. Combine the water, salt and egg in a mixing bowl and mix until combined. Using a dough hook, slowly add your flour one cup at a time. Mix until dough becomes firm and no loose flour remains at the bottom of the bowl. It is ok if the dough seems dry. You want the dough dry but not flaky. A wet dough will stick to the pasta rollers and create a massive mess. Remove the dough from the mixing bowl, place on a lightly floured surface and kneed for 2-3 minutes. Set aside and start to prepare your pasta filling.
I like to sauté the ham before mixing it with the cheese for my filling. It will bring out the flavor of the ham and create a nice texture when you eat it. If added to the cheese while warm, it will help the filling stick together and create less mess. Adding water to the mix will also help. You can do without it, but I would recommend a little bit of water.
Let’s make some pasta! Divide your dough into three equal balls and set two aside. flatten your dough ball as best you can with your hand. narrow enough to fit into the pasta roller. If you are using a Kitchen Aid roller as I did, set the thickness to 1 on the dial and your speed to 2.
Let the roller pull the dough through, trying not to force it. The dough usually is a torn mess the first time it goes through the roller, so don’t worry too much about how it looks at this point. Just fold it over itself and roll again. Keep rolling and folding until the dough is smooth. Once smooth, change to thickness setting 2 on the roller, remain at speed 2.
Lay the dough on the counter and cut it in half before you change to the third thickness setting on the dial. This will make the dough easier to handle as you feed it through the roller. It gets difficult to hold the longer it gets and is likely to tear when it gets long. I will continue this process until thickness setting 4 on the dial. I wouldn’t go any thinner than the 5th setting for ravioli. You will run the risk of your filling leaking through.
You can use many different types of cutters and molds to make your ravioli, but I prefer a more simple method. place a sheet of your freshly rolled dough on a lightly floured surface. Spoon the desired amount of filling onto the dough. I have found the pasta sheets are the perfect size for two rows of filling when they come out of the rollers.
I like to sauté the ham before mixing it with the cheese for my filling. It will bring out the flavor of the ham and create a nice texture when you eat it. If added to the cheese while warm, it will help the filling stick together and create less mess. Adding water to the mix will also help. You can do without it, but I would recommend a little bit of water.
You will want to use either water or egg to bind the pasta sheets together. You can brush the whole bottom sheet with egg before you place the filling or brush between the spoonfuls of filling. In the picture above I brushed between the rows, but as I went on, I found it easier to brush the whole sheet prior to placing the filling. Place a second sheet on top of the filling and starting at one end, press the top pasta sheet down to connect to the lower sheet, maneuvering around the pockets of filling. Try to get as much air out of the pockets as you go from one end of the sheet to the other. 
Once pressed, I used a pizza cutter to create my square shaped ravioli. Try not to cut too close to the filling. You don’t want the filling to seep out while it is cooking. I prefer to let my pasta dry a little bit before I cook them, so they don’t stick together the moment you place them in water. While your pasta is drying, you can bring a pot of water to boil with about a teaspoon of salt. Once the water is at a full boil slowly add your prepared ravioli one at a time to the pot. I would cook the ravioli in two separate batches to prevent them from breaking when you stir or sticking together. Cook the pasta to the desired tenderness and remove from the pot. Fully drain your pasta before serving with your sauce. You don’t want a watery butter sauce.
While you are boiling your pasta, melt your butter for your sauce. Once fully melted, add the honey and combine well. You can add more or less honey to your sauce. It just depends on how sweet you wish to make it. I prefer to let my guests decide how much sauce they want on their portion, but you can cover the cooked pasta with the sauce to make it easier to serve.
