I graduated from my first cooking class in Italy! When my cousin Brad came to visit me last weekend we decided that we needed to take a cooking class. We weren’t really sure what it would entail, but we were glad we went. I learned more than I expected about authentic Italian cooking, I had no idea it was so simple! Italians use very little spices when they cook and only a few ingredients. My favorite dish that we made was fresh ravioli with butter and green sage sauce. It is simple and luxorious. The filling is creamy and everything that I could ask for in a ravioli. I don’t typically eat ravioli but I have been craving to eat these everyday since taking the class. The sauce is simple, just butter and sage with parmessean cheese on top. I thought the sauce complimented the ravioli well. It almost reminded me of eating lobster with butter (weird right?), yes it was that good!…but if you don’t like butter you won’t enjoy this sauce.

The class website: http://www.florencecookingclasses.com/

Chef Giovanni making Ravioli

Learning how to make fresh pasta!

The final product!  (I want some now!!)

Ingredients for the Ravioli stuffing

*I would only suggest this recipe if you have taken a pasta making class or if you are an experienced pasta maker. I try to stick to simple recipes typically, but this one is an exception 🙂

By the Food and Wine Academy

*serves 6

• Your favorite pasta recipe made into ravioli
• 6 T. spoons of ricotta cheese
• 6 T. spoons of grated parmesan cheese
• 2 fresh egg yolks
• a dash of salt and pepper

Directions:

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Make pasta into raviolis and stuff! Cook according to your pasta recipe, probably only about 4 minutes.

Butter and Green Sage sauce

By the Food and Wine Academy

*serves 6

• 250 grams unsalted butter
• 6 leaves of fresh green sage chopped
• pepper to taste
• 6 T. spoons of parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top of ravioli and sauce

Directions:

Add butter to sauce pan. Add chopped sage then add pepper. Melt butter on medium heat. Serve the sauce over ravioli and top with parmesan cheese.

Prayer of the week 🙂

This prayer helps me relax before I go to bed. I hope it does the same for you!

Watch, dear Lord, with those who wake, or watch, or weep tonight, and give Your angles charge over those who sleep. Tend Your sick ones, rest Your weary ones, bless your dying ones, soothe Your suffering ones, and for all Your love’s sake. Amen. 

Eat lots of pasta!

-Niki