Lobster Spinach Ravioli in Vodka Sauce

This past weekend we went out to dinner with friends
to a great Italian restaurant called Osteria Ottimo.
The special that night was Lobster, Crab and Shrimp Ravioli in Vodka Sauce.
 Two out of the four of us ordered it.  Yum, was it delicious!
I was inspired and decided to try and make my own vodka sauce and ravioli.
If you take anything from this post,
I highly recommend that you try and make the vodka sauce.
It was awesome.
The raviolis were great too and so easy to make.
Try both if you are feeling up to it.
This meal was delicious, watch out Osteria Ottoimo, I maybe your competition!

My iPad is my favorite cookbook these days.

To make the vodka sauce,  you first have to make a quick marinara sauce.

I used a recipe from Rocco DiSpirito.

Rocco DiSpirito’s Marinara Sauce:

Ingredients
1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 large yellow onion, cut into small dice
Salt
Crushed red pepper
Two 28-ounce cans tomato puree
1/2 cup water
1 small piece Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese rind
1 large sprig fresh basil

Due to what was in my fridge and pantry,  I used a red onion, canned crushed tomatos with basil, shredded 2 cheese blend (Asiago, Parmigiano and Romano), and dry basil.

First dice up the onion and garlic.

Saute onion and garlic until translucent ( about 4 minutes).
Then add a dash of salt and crushed red pepper to your liking.

Add crushed tomatoes, water, and a handful of cheese.

Add basil

I wish I had fresh basil, but the spice rack basil will do.

 Bring to a boil.
Make sure to stir frequently.
Reduce heat and simmer for at least 30 minutes.

Now you have your Marinara Sauce! 
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Time to make the Vodka Sauce...

I used another Rocco DiSpirito recipe for the Vodka Sauce.
Link to recipe


Rocco's Vodka Sauce

Ingredients

Serves 4

2 cups Rocco’s How Low Can You Go Low-Fat Marinara Sauce (recipe above) 

or store bought low-fat marinara sauce

Pinch of crushed red pepper

1 (7 oz) container 2% Greek yogurt

1 cup chopped fresh basil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Directions

Bring the marinara sauce and crushed red pepper to a simmer in a large nonstick sauté pan over medium heat. Cook the sauce, stirring it occasionally with a heat-resistant rubber spatula, 

until it is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. 

Remove the sauté pan from the heat.

Stir about ½ cup of the marinara sauce into the yogurt until smooth 

(this tempers it and prevents the yogurt from curdling). 

Then whisk the yogurt mixture back into the marinara sauce.

The healthy trick to this sauce is substitute greek yogurt for heavy cream.  

Whisk Greek Yogurt with 1/2 cup of marinara sauce before you add it to the hot pan.

Stir into sauce. 

I also added 1/2 of Vodka.  

So Good! 

Now you have your Vodka Sauce!

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Time to make the Lobster Spinach Ravioli...

Lobster filling:
1/2 cup minced lobster meat
1/2 cup cooked minced spinach
2 egg
¼ cup bread crumbs
¼ cup grated cheese
2 tablespoon greek yogurt
1 teaspoon dried  basil
1 clove minced garlic
pinch of salt & pepper

Cook spinach.  

I used 5oz of fresh spinach  and it made about 1/2 of a cup.

Chop up spinach.

Cook lobster.
2 small lobster tails gave me about 1/2 cup of lobster.

Yummy!

Chop up lobster.

Mix all ingredients together.

Refrigerate

Now you have the ravioli filling! 

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Time to make the ravioli...


Noodle Dough:
1 - 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 - 1/3 cup wheat flour
4 eggs

Mix flour together.

Make a hole in the middle of the flour to crack the eggs into.

Work the mixture by hand, 
folding the flour over the egg until the dough can be formed into a ball. 

Knead the dough.
I am always listening to music when I cook.
I knead the dough for 2 to 3 songs.
About 8 minutes.

Run it through the pasta machine 6 to 8 times.  

Remember you can always roll out the dough, if you don't have a pasta machine. 

Lay dough flat and add filling.

Cover filling with dough and press down to seal.

Cut ravioli and cook.

I used my fancy scissors to make them look pretty.

___________________________

I want to buy a Ravioli Stamp or Mold.

Link to Stamp on Amazon. 

 Link to Ravioli Mold from Williams-Sonoma

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My son Liam made spaghetti with the leftover ravioli dough.

There is something so satisfying
when you watch your 7 year old eat his own homemade pasta.
 He was so proud of his spaghetti.
It was delicious.

Bellissimo

 Delizioso