Saturday, June 5, 2010

Happy Mama Mouths

We're back from Boise.  I'll tell you all about our trip soon, I promise.  But, for now, I need to tell you about our dinner tonight.  Oh, wow.  My mouth is so happy!  Today is one beautiful, sunny Portland day sandwiched between many, many rainy days.  To celebrate, we got ourselves packed up early and went out into the sun this morning.  Up Tabor, through the neighborhoods, here and there, and by midmorning we found ourselves down on Hawthorne and decided to pick  up some dinner things from Pastaworks--a delicious, fresh meat, cheese, bread, veggie, and specialty items shop.  We picked up a few yummy ingredients and made the most amazing meal.

Sausage Asparagus and Pea Ravioli 
serves 2 adults (plus a ravioli or two for baby)
Brown a 1/2 pound of freshly ground mild Italian sausage, keeping them in large marble size balls. 
Once cooked, set aside.
In same pan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter.
Add 1/2 a sliced onion and 8 leaves of fresh sage (we picked ours from someone's front yard we passed on our walk home).  Brown the butter while the onions saute.
Add 12 pencil spears of asparagus, cleaned and snapped into small pieces, and a 1/4 cup of peas (we used frozen, but I wish we had been able to find fresh).
Stir and keep cooking on medium heat until peas and asparagus are warmed.
Meanwhile, boil water and cook ravioli.  
We used Ravioli Fagioli Toscana, fresh ravioli filled with white beans, ricotta, and sage.  
Toss cooked sausage into veggies.  Use a slotted spoon to add cooked ravioli to veggies and sausage.  Sprinkle generously with course salt.  
Plate.  
Sprinkle with a generous helping of sharp Italian goat pecorino romano and a dash or two  of black pepper. 
Serve with (a few) glasses of chilled white wine and some fresh, soft baguette and butter. 
Enjoy.