Gulf News' Your Ramadan Table' food show: Wild mushroom ravioli with brown butter and black garlic

1/4 tsp turmeric

Pinch of saffron (dilute in hot water for 20 minutes)

Pinch of salt

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

100 gms semolina (optional)

Filling

50 gms Portobello mushroom

50 gms oyster mushroom

50 gms shiitake mushroom

50 gms shimeji mushroom

2 sprigs of sage

100 gms white onion

1 tbsp white truffle paste

3 tbsp mascarpone cheese

100 gms parmesan cheese

2 tbsp olive oil

Salt to taste

Method

Pasta dough

Dilute a few strands of saffron in water and set aside.

Sieve the flour onto your work surface, make a well, and crack in the egg.

Add a pinch of salt, turmeric, and the diluted saffron.

Gently whisk all the ingredients together using a fork to make a dough.

Combine and knead the dough well for 10 to 15 minutes, adjusting with more lukewarm water or flour if needed.

Wrap the dough in cling film and let it rest in the chiller for about 20 minutes before making the ravioli.

Filling

Thinly chop mushrooms, white onion, and garlic, then set aside.

Add one tablespoon of olive oil in a pan over a medium flame and sauté the onion for five minutes.

Then add the chopped garlic and mushrooms, and cook until golden brown.

Allow the water to release from the onion and mushrooms, then turn off the flame and add a sprig of sage. Let it cool for a bit.

Once cooled, add mascarpone cheese, white truffle paste, and grated parmesan cheese to a bowl along with the onion-mushroom mixture. Combine well and set aside. The pasta filling is now ready.

Assembling

Now, take out the dough from the chiller, divide the dough into smaller sections and roll each section out into thin sheets using a pasta machine or a rolling pin.

Sprinkle flour on the board and place the rolled sheets.

Place small spoonfuls of the filling on the pasta sheet, leaving space between each spoonful.

Gently lay another sheet of pasta over the top and press around the mounds of filling to seal the ravioli, or fold the same pasta sheet.

To seal the pasta and cut it separately, use a ravioli cutter or a knife to cut out individual ravioli.

Use semolina in a tray to keep the pasta in shape, and store all the filled pasta until you finish.

Cooking and serving

Cook the ravioli in a large pot of boiling, salted water for 2 to 4 minutes or until they float to the surface.

In a pan over a medium flame, add butter and black garlic until they caramelise. Then add the cooked pasta along with a sprig of sage, stir it for two minutes, and turn off the flame.

Serve on a plate with more parmesan, chopped chives, and a drizzle of olive oil. Enjoy!

Tips

When making pasta dough, ensure that the egg is well incorporated with the flour and other ingredients to form a smooth and elastic dough.

While rolling out the pasta dough, make sure to dust the work surface and the dough with flour to prevent sticking.

When assembling the ravioli, be careful not to overfill them, as this can cause them to burst during cooking.

To prevent the ravioli from sticking together, dust them with semolina or flour and store them in a single layer on a tray.

When cooking the ravioli, make sure the water is at a rolling boil before adding them, and avoid overcrowding the pot to ensure even cooking.

Consider garnishing the ravioli with fresh herbs and a drizzle of high-quality olive oil to enhance the flavours.

I've been craving homemade pasta for a while now. It takes good ingredients to make a quality dish, so never compromise if you want the best flavour profile. Even though you need patience to make homemade pasta, the result is absolutely irresistible! I'm so happy, and I can guarantee that once you try this ravioli, you will never want to return to store-bought pasta.

- Chef John Buenaventura, Executive Chef and Host of Your Ramadan Table by Gulf News