Fennel, Shrimp and Chorizo Ravioli with Mascarpone Cheese

Last night I was super upset. After two hours working on a blog post, I lost it all in an instant. Such a sinking and defeating feeling.

Today, I had a really rough day at work. All day I just kept telling myself, relax. It is not a big deal. You are a good person and you have a beautiful life.

Yet all I could do was think about all the bad.

Then I talked to my friend Nicole who is a high school guidance counselor and always manages to put things in perspective. She told me all about teens doing crazy things to themselves and others. Drinking too much and harming their bodies.

For sure there are times, days, even weeks when life is hard or just plain sucky. But you couldn’t pay me to go back and be a teenager who hadn’t figured out how to live in my own skin yet. Even on the worst days, I know that the worst is behind me and the best is yet to come.

I know what I want. And I want to be a good person who makes people laugh and cooks good food.

So I’m getting after it one insane dish at a time. And this is an all time top five.

You will need…

1 tablespoons olive oil

2 fennel bulbs, white parts roughly chopped and greens reserved

1 small onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

¾ lb chorizo

¾ lb shrimp, peeled, de-veined and tails removed

1 cup mascarpone cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Flour For Dusting

Water

Homemade pasta dough

Slow Roasted Tomato Sauce or White Wine Parmesan Cream Sauce

Start by heating the olive oil in a large sauté pan.

When the oil is hot, add in the fennel and onion. Lightly toss to coat the onions and fennel and cook until they start to soften. About 5 minutes.

Add in the garlic and cook until the garlic is fragrant. About 30 seconds.

When the garlic is fragrant, add in the chorizo and stir, breaking it up with your spoon.

Cook until the chorizo is browned, about 5 minutes.

Add in the shrimp and cook, stirring often until the shrimp is just pink. About 3 minutes.

Remove from the heat and allow it to cool to room temperature.

In a food processor, blend together the cooked veggies, chorizo, shrimp and mascarpone.

When the filling is combined, season well with salt and pepper.

Heat a large pot of water till it’s boiling.

While the water is boiling, roll out your pasta dough into long thin strips about 3 inches wide.

Place about 1 tablespoon filling every 2 inches apart on a bottom layer of pasta. 

Gently brush the pasta sheet with water and place the top layer gently on top. Press with your fingers and cut with ravioli cutters or a knife.

Make sure to generously brush with flour so they do not stick.

Cook the ravioli in the boiling water until hot throughout and float to the top. About 3 to 5 minutes.

Serve hot with your favorite pasta sauce and topped with fennel greens.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela  

Fennel, Shrimp and Chorizo Ravioli with Mascarpone Cheese

1 tablespoons olive oil

2 fennel bulbs, white parts roughly chopped and greens reserved

1 small onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

¾ lb chorizo

¾ lb shrimp, peeled, de-veined and tails removed

1 cup mascarpone cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Water

Homemade pasta dough

Slow Roasted Tomato Sauce or White Wine Parmesan Cream Sauce

Start by heating the olive oil in a large sauté pan.

When the oil is hot, add in the fennel and onion. Lightly toss to coat the onions and fennel and cook until they start to soften. About 5 minutes.

Add in the garlic and cook until the garlic is fragrant. About 30 seconds.

When the garlic is fragrant, add in the chorizo and stir, breaking it up with your spoon.

Cook until the chorizo is browned, about 5 minutes.

Add in the shrimp and cook, stirring often until the shrimp is just pink. About 3 minutes.

Remove from the heat and allow it to cool to room temperature.

In a food processor, blend together the cooked veggies, chorizo, shrimp and mascarpone.

When the filling is combined, season well with salt and pepper.

Heat a large pot of water till it’s boiling.

While the water is boiling, roll out your pasta dough into long thin strips about 3 inches wide.

Place about 1 tablespoon filling every 2 inches apart on a bottom layer of pasta. Gently brush the pasta sheet with water and place the top layer gently on top. Press with your fingers and cut with ravioli cutters or a knife.

Make sure to generously brush with flour so they do not stick.

Cook the ravioli in the boiling water until hot throughout and float to the top. About 3 to 5 minutes.

Serve hot with your favorite pasta sauce and topped with fennel greens.