Spinach and paneer ravioli with tomato sauce

Ravioli is a popular Italian dish which is pasta filled with any stuffing of your choice. Stuffing can be like vegetarian or non vegetarian. Ravioli is served either in broth or with a pasta sauce. I prepared fusion of Italian and Indian cuisine, which is eggless ravioli with spinach paneer stuffing served with homemade tomato sauce. This is my first attempt in making ravioli, it was very successful and was tasting excellent.

Ingredients:

Yields around 15 to 20 ravioli’s (depends on the size of ravioli)

For making ravioli dough:

• 1 1/2 cup – Maida / All purpose flour
• 4 tsp – Butter
• Salt to taste
• Ice water to knead dough
• Wheat flour to dust

For making spinach paneer stuffing:

• 2 cups – Spinach (chopped finely)
• 3/4 cup – Crumbled paneer
• 1 no – Onion (chopped finely)
• 1 tsp – Ginger garlic crushed
• 1/4 tsp – Garam masala powder
• 1 tbsp – Olive oil
• 1/4 tsp – Fennel seeds
• 1/4 tsp – Cumin seeds
• Salt and pepper powder to taste

For making tomato sauce:

• 2 medium – Tomatoes (puree them)
• 1 no – Onion (chopped)
• 1 no – Garlic (chopped finely)
• 1/4 tsp – Sugar
• 1/8 tsp – Dried oregano
• 1/8 tsp – Dried basil
• 1 tbsp – Olive oil
• Salt and pepper powder to taste

Preparation method:

Making of ravioli dough:

1. Take a mixing bowl, add maida, butter and required salt, mix well. Then add enough ice water to the flour mixture and knead into dough until well textured and firm.
2. Make the dough into a ball or disk, wrap with plastic wrap. Let the dough stand for 1 hour at room temperature before using.

Making of spinach paneer stuffing:

1. Heat oil in a pan, season with cumin seeds and fennel seeds. Then add chopped onion and crushed ginger garlic, saute until they are golden brown in color.
2. Now add chopped spinach along with required salt, saute until spinach is 3/4 done. Next comes garam masala powder and freshly ground pepper, saute for few seconds.
3. Finally add crumbled paneer, mix well everything and cook until paneer is well cooked (it takes around 3 to 4 minutes). Stuffing should not be too dry or too soggy. Keep this stuffing aside.

Making of tomato sauce:

1. Heat oil in a pan, add chopped onion and garlic, saute until translucent. Then comes pureed tomatoes, cover and cook until they are 3/4 done.
2. Then add sugar, dried oregano and basil, required salt and pepper powder, saute until raw smell goes. Once it is slightly thick and well cooked, switch off the stove and keep it aside.

Assembling ravioli:

1. Unwrap ravioli dough, divide the dough into 4 equal parts. Roll out thin rounds of equal size out of the dough. Put one round on a board and place spinach paneer stuffing as shown in the picture with 1 inch intervals around the stuffing.
2. Apply little water around the stuffing and put another round on the top. Press with the fingers around the stuffing. Seal the ravioli and using biscuit cutter or using a knife, make square ravioli pieces. Repeat the same process with the remaining dough.
3. Boil plenty of water in a large vessel and add 2 tsp of oil to the boiling water. Put few ravioli pieces at a time in the boiling water and when they come on top, take them out and drain them using strainer to remove excess water. Repeat the same process with the rest of the raviolis.
4. Now comes the serving part, take a serving plate, pour 2 to 3 tbsp of tomato sauce and  place 2 to 3 ravioli’s on top of it. Once again pour 2 to 3 tbsp of tomato sauce on top of ravioli and sprinkle grated cheese on top, serve hot.

Notes:

• Ravioli dough should not be too wet or too sticky. It should only stick to itself, but not to your hands. It should not be too dry, either.
• Spinach paneer stuffing should not be too dry or too soggy. Do not add any water while cooking, because spinach leaves enough moisture for the paneer to cook.
• Ravioli can be prepared well in advance. Just bake in oven for few seconds when you want to serve.
• You can make any shapes like circle or square ravioli of your wish.

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