Ravioli Dolci Recipes

Steps:

• In an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine flour and salt. Add eggs 1 at a time and continue to mix. Drizzle in oil and continue to incorporate all the flour until it forms a ball. Sprinkle some flour on work surface, knead the dough until elastic and smooth. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest for about 30 minutes to allow the gluten to relax.
• Cut the ball of dough in half, cover and reserve the dough you are not immediately using to prevent it from drying out. Dust the counter and dough with flour. Form the dough into a rectangle and roll it through the pasta machine, 2 or 3 times, at its widest setting. Guide the sheet of dough with the palm of your hand as it emerges from the rollers. *Reduce the setting and crank the dough through again, 2 or 3 times. Continue until the machine is at its narrowest setting. The dough should be paper-thin, about 1/8-inch thick.
• Dust the counter and dough with flour, lay out the long sheet of pasta. Brush the top surface of dough with egg wash. Drop 1 tablespoon of cooled filling about 2-inches apart on half the sheet of pasta. Fold the unfilled half over the filling. With an espresso cup or fingers, gently press out air pockets around each mound of filling and form a seal. Use a crimper to cut each pillow into squares. Check to make sure the crimped edges are well sealed before cooking. If making ravioli in advance, dust with cornmeal to prevent them from sticking.
• Cook the ravioli in plenty of boiling salted water for 10 to15 minutes. Ravioli will float to the top when cooked so be careful not to overcrowd the pot. Lift the ravioli from water with a large strainer or slotted spoon. Plate the pasta, top with sauce and grated cheese before serving. Garnish plate with chopped herbs and toasted pine nuts.
• *For Herb-Patterned Pasta: Follow the standard recipe given above and roll it out to a medium-thick sheet. Next, take well-washed leafy herbs such as, basil, flat-leaf parsley and tarragon, pinch away the stems so only the leaves remain. Hand press the fresh herbs on the dough's surface at 1-inch intervals. Fold the dough over itself and run the "sandwich" through the pasta machine at a thin setting. The leaves will stretch and pattern the pasta. Continue making ravioli as indicated in the procedure.

Steps:

• Making the Filling-- In a saucepan combine-- grapes, pear, apples, zests, and squash.
• Bring to a boil and cover slightly.
• Cook until fruit is breaking down and very soft, adding more water if necessary.
• Press the fruit thru a foley with a coarse blade.
• Place back into pot and cook another 20 minutes.
• Stir, and keep checking as not to scorch.
• Its ready when it coats a wooden spoon.
• Cool.
• This takes a fair amount of time to do on low heat.
• Add the chestnuts, raisins, and pine nuts, and brandy.
• Stir well Otherwards what you made was sort of a mincemeat.
• Pastry-- Combine all dry ingredients and zest.
• Add butter chilled and in cubes.
• Sprinkle with beaten egg, and water combined.
• Combine until you have a pastry dough just forming into a ball.
• This could all be done in a processor if desired.
• Turn onto to board, gather into a loose ball.
• Wrap in saran and chill.
• Roll out the dough on a floured board about 1/8 inch thick.
• or less Use a round 3 inch cutter cut out rounds.
• Fill each with a teaspoon of filling.
• Brush a little beaten egg around inner edges and fold over.
• Crimp, and seal with a fork.
• Re roll dough and continue until all scrapes are used.
• Preheat oven 350 degrees.
• Place on greased cookie sheets.
• Bake 18 minutes until golden.
• Cool on rack.
• Dust with confectioners sugar.

Steps:

• Melt semisweet chocolate and unsweetened chocolate in the top of a double boiler or in a bowl in the microwave. Stir until smooth. Set aside to cool. Heat the 2 cups shortening in a large, heavy skillet or deep fryer.
• In a small bowl, stir together the pureed garbanzo beans, sugar, and cinnamon. Stir in the dates and nuts. Blend with the cooled chocolate. Chill while you make the dough.
• In a medium bowl, beat the eggs until fluffy. Stir in the 1/4 cup melted shortening. Sift together the flour, sugar, and salt, and fold into the egg mixture. Add extra flour if necessary to make the dough easy to handle.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut into 3 inch circles using a cookie cutter or a large drinking glass. Place 1 teaspoon of the chocolate filling mixture onto the center of each cookie, fold over into a half circle, and pinch to seal.
• Fry cookies in 1 1/2 inches of hot oil, turning once. Cookies should be light brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Refrigerate when cool. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar before serving.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture., Divide dough in half. Shape each into a disk; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate 30 minutes or until firm enough to roll., For filling, place Oreos in a food processor; process until finely crushed. Add cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and extract; process until blended., Preheat oven to 350°. On a lightly floured surface, roll one portion of dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 2-in. round cookie cutter. Place about 1-1/2 teaspoons filling in center of half of the cookies. Cover with remaining cookies. Press edges with a fork to seal. Place 1 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough and filling., Bake 15-20 minutes or until edges are light brown. Cool on pans 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely., In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Drizzle over cookies; let stand until set. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.