Name: Homemade Beet Ravioli with Brown Butter Sauce
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1/2 pound of beets (2 small beets); 3 cups all purpose flour; 4 eggs; 1 teaspoon salt; 8 oz goat cheese; 8 oz ricotta cheese; 2 tablespoons minced chives; 1/4 cup minced parsley leaves; 1 tablespoon olive oil; Salt and pepper; 1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces; 1 red pepper flake packet (¼ teaspoon); 1 dijon mustard packet (1 teaspoon); 1 lemon, zested and juiced; 1/4 cup torn basil leaves; 1 cup walnuts, chopped

Beet Ravioli

Wash and trim the beets and place them in a baking dish with 1 inch of water, cover with foil and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes until very soft.

Let the beets cool, then rub them in a dish towel to remove the skin. Cut into quarters and puree with an immersion blender until very smooth. Alternately, place beets in a food processor if you have one, and blend until smooth. Set aside.

Pour 2 1/2 cups flour onto a clean work surface and make a small mound with a well in the center. Add 3 eggs, the pureed beets and salt in the well. Beat together with a fork, slowly bringing in a little flour at a time until a sticky dough forms.

Start kneading the dough, adding a little more flour as needed, about ½ cup total, to prevent sticking. Continue kneading for about 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and allow it to rest for 30 minutes.

In a medium bowl mix the goat cheese, ricotta, chives, parsley, olive oil, and salt and pepper.

Roll one piece of dough into a thin sheet, then use a sharp knife to cut into a rectangle 15 inches long by 8 inches wide.

Place 1-tablespoon scoops of cheese filling onto the sheet of dough, about an 1/2-inch apart and 1/2 inch from the edge, leaving 1/2 of an inch at both ends as well. You should get 8-10 dollops.

In a small bowl, whisk the remaining egg. Brush the dough with egg wash on all sides of the filling, then fold the bottom half over the top. Press down around all of the filling to remove any air. Cut the ravioli into squares and use a fork to press the edges down to seal. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.

Brown Butter Sauce

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly. Continue cooking the butter for 5-8 minutes while stirring to ensure even browning. The butter will begin to foam as it cooks. When it turns golden, the bubbles will subside slightly and the milk solids will sink to the bottom of the pan and turn a darker brown color. This is when the butter is done browning.

Add the ravioli to the boiling water and cook for 4-5 minutes.

Add the red pepper flakes, dijon mustard, basil leaves, lemon zest and juice, and walnuts to the browned butter. Whisk to combine.

Drain the ravioli and serve topped with sauce.

Cook’s note: Cut the butter into pieces so that it melts evenly.

This week, treat yourself to a restaurant-worthy pasta dinner at a fraction of the price, as Frankie cooks up some of his signature dishes featuring show stopping sauces.