Ravioli ‘pane e pomodoro’ in tomato broth
How obsessed can you be with tomatoes? This ingredient offers so many nuances that we just can’t put an end to our experimentations. One of the many wonderful things about tomatoes is their natural concentration of free glutamic acid, simply known as the ‘umami’ element, which increases even more when tomatoes are ripe and cooked. These ravioli are filled with a concentrated, slow-cooked tomato sauce, which is thickened with stale bread and then further lightly dehydrated in the oven to achieve a complete caramelisation of the natural sugars and an outstanding, mouthwatering result. To counteract this extreme concentration, we pair it with a clear, crystalline broth, the essence of the tomato deprived of its structure, to embrace and elevate the ravioli.
I’ll be honest, it is a long and quite laborious process – from start to finish, it takes more than a day – but it is an experience worth having. It allows you to get into the guts of this magical ingredient, and understand it intimately. To be served lukewarm on a summer evening, and enjoyed in silence.
This recipe is an extract from the Moroseta Kitchen: Recipes and Stories from a Modern Puglian Farmhouse by Georgia Eugenia Goggi.
Next, why not try more Italian recipes from the House & Garden recipe archive?
What you'll need
Ravioli ‘pane e pomodoro’ in tomato broth
Recipe information
Yield
6
Ingredients
For the pasta
For the filling
For the broth
Preparation
Method
Step 1
Make the pasta dough: Make the pasta dough following the directions on page 51. Cover with cling film (plastic wrap) and chill for 4 hours.
Step 2
Make the filling: Preheat the oven to 170°C fan (340°F/gas 5).
Step 3
In a bowl, drizzle the oil over the bread cubes and season with a pinch of salt. Toss to combine, then spread out on a baking tray and toast in the oven for 10 minutes until lightly golden.
Step 4
Heat the tomato sauce in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the bread and cook for 5 minutes, stirring well. At this stage, it might not look the best, but that’s totally normal. Transfer to a container and leave in the refrigerator for 12 hours to rehydrate.
Step 5
The next day, preheat the oven to 100°C fan (210°F/ gas 1⁄2) and line a baking tray with baking parchment. Transfer the tomato mixture to a blender and blend until it is quite creamy, but not completely smooth; it is important to leave some texture. Spread the resulting filling on the prepared tray and place in the oven for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes so that a crust does not form on the surface.
Step 6
Allow to cool, then taste and adjust the salt as needed. Make sure there are no lumps, then mix well and transfer into a piping bag.
Step 7
Make the ravioli: Roll out the dough into sheets using a pasta machine, or very thinly by hand.
Step 8
Pipe small quantities of the filling (about 8 g/1⁄4 oz each) on to one of the pasta sheets, spacing them well apart. Brush the pasta sheet with a little water between the dollops of filling, then lay another sheet of dough on top. Press with your fingers around the dollops of filling, so that the dough is sealed and any air escapes. Cut out the ravioli with a round cutter.
Step 9
Place on a tray covered with a clean tea towel and set aside.
Step 10
For the broth: In a blender, blend the tomatoes well until you have a fine liquid pulp is obtained. Transfer this to a medium-sized saucepan and bring to the boil.
Step 11
Allow to boil for 2 minutes, then turn off the heat. The pulp will have concentrated on the surface.
Step 12
Strain the mixture into a clean bowl through a sieve lined with muslin (cheesecloth), letting it drip to obtain a transparent broth.
Step 13
Heat the resulting broth slightly, to a maximum of 60°C (140°F). And add the herbs and lemon zest. Cover with a lid and take off the heat, then leave to infuse for 20 minutes. Strain once more and set aside.
Step 14
Cook the ravioli and serve: Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add the ravioli and cook for about 4 minutes. Drain using a slotted spoon, then divide the ravioli between 6 bowls.
Step 15
Pour a small ladleful of warm tomato broth into each bowl and finish with a few drops of olive oil.
Leave a Review
