Spinach Artichoke Heart Ravioli

This week I made homemade pasta. This is a time consuming process especially if you do not have specialized equipment. The pasta specifically was ravioli with a spinach artichoke heart filling. I also made chicken thighs with a white wine pan sauce and herb garlic bread and served it with a ceasar salad.

As an update for news about the blog. I will most likely be taking a break from the blog for about a week or two to focus on other work. If I do post it will be quick recipes. Anyway now on to the recipe

Spinach Artichoke Heart Ravioli

A nice vegetarian-ish dish ("ish" due to eggs)

Ingredients:
Pasta recipe found HERE just doubled and run through a pasta machine and cut into about 1.5 inch squares

Filling:
1/3 cup Mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup onion minced
3 cloves garlic minced
1/2 cup artichoke hearts
1/4 cup spinach (torn into small pieces)
1/2 cup mushrooms minced (I used portobello)

Instructions:
Prepare the pasta Dough as directed then run dough through pasta machine twice on each setting until about 1.5 millimeter thick (mine is a 7 setting model with 7 as the largest I went 7 through 5)
Cut pasta into 1.5 inch squares.

1. take one square and place a small amount of the filling in the center of the square (about 1/2 tsp) 
2. place a second square of pasta on top and seal the edges
3. crimp edges with a fork 
4. Repeat until out of pasta pieces

Refrigerate pasta (at least 20 minutes) to ensure that they have sealed and to allow flavors to meld in the filling
boil in salted water for 7 minutes
drain then place on a baking sheet that has been greased spread remaining filling on top and bake at 400 degrees F for 6-10 minutes until Cheese has melted

Suggestions:
put all of the filling ingredients into a food processor and grind it up very fine for an easier time filling
Serve with a parmesan cheese sauce, vodka sauce, mushroom cream sauce or an artichoke spinach cheese dip.
Instead of baking the Ravioli toss it in bread crumbs and fry it to get a nice crispy outside

Top view of the filling prior to spinach and mixing

Filling mixed together

Pasta sheets

Part way through making the ravioli

Filling on a pasta square

Boiling away

All set to bake

The complete meal

Bonus recipe
Chicken thighs and mushrooms
4 chicken thighs (if very large butterfly to ensure complete cooking)
3/4 cup mushrooms sliced (I used portobello)
1/2 cup White Wine (I used pinot grigio)
1/4 cup onion sliced
2 cloves garlic minced
2 TBSP olive oil
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp sage
Salt and pepper to taste