FIG & SHIITAKE HOMEMADE RAVIOLIS WITH BALSAMIC REDUCTION

Figs and mushrooms should always be together! These FIG & SHIITAKE RAVIOLIS WITH BALSAMIC REDUCTION make for a special meal worth remembering. It's a bit of work, but the end result is well worth it!

This is actually a quite simple recipe, and it requires just a few ingredients. There is a bit of manual labor since we're making the pasta dough from scratch. But, it's the perfect recipe to prepare and enjoy with someone (hot date, maybe?) since it's a fun process.

The dough is homemade and the filling is just two ingredients: fresh shiitake mushrooms and fig paste seasoned with some garlic, salt and pepper. I used shiitake mushrooms because of their rich, buttery flavor as well as their meaty texture. You could probably use any kind of mushroom here, but shiitake goes very well with the sweetness of the fig paste.

Which reminds me: I did not know I needed fig paste in my life as much as I do right now. It is so good!!

Anyway, back to the recipe...

The trick with the dough is to get the right amount of moisture into the flour so that you end up with a dough that's not too wet nor too dry. You're looking for the dough to be smooth, not powdery (too dry) nor wet and sticky (too wet). So add the water to the flour gradually until you get the right consistency. If the dough becomes too sticky and wet, add a bit of flour until it's right.

Once you're ready to make the raviolis, you'll want to roll out the dough using a smooth, even rolling pin (or use a liquor bottle if you don't have one) until the dough is quite thin and uniform in thickness. If your dough is too thick, you'll end up with chewy ravioli and run the risk of them being undercooked.

Assembling your raviolis is part of the fun. So, break out some wine and enjoy the process. This is one of those recipes to enjoy from beginning to end!

Let's get cooking!

FIG & SHIITAKE RAVIOLIS WITH BALSAMIC REDUCTION

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

For the pasta dough:

• 2 1/4 Cups all purpose flour

• 1 tsp salt

• 2 tsp olive oil

• 3/4 Cups water

For the filling:

• 1/3 Cup fig paste

• 4 oz shiitake mushrooms, finely chopped

• 2 tsp olive oil

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• Salt and pepper to taste

HOW TO MAKE IT:

1. Make your pasta dough by sifting in the flour and salt into a medium sized mixing bowl. Then, add the olive oil and start adding the water gradually while stirring.

2. Use your hands to knead the dough together for 1 to 2 minutes, until fully incorporated and a smooth ball of dough is formed. If your dough is too powdery, add a bit more water until it is smooth. It it's too wet and sticky, add a little flour until you achieve the right consistency. Set aside to work on the filling.

3. In a frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium high heat and add the mushrooms and garlic. Sauté for about 5 minutes stirring frequently, until the mushrooms are cooked through. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat to begin assembling your ravioli.

4. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

5. Add a bit of flour to the surface where you will be rolling out your pasta dough. Cut the dough into 4 equal parts. Taking each part at a time, take a rolling pin and start from the middle and roll from the center out until the dough is very thin. Repeat with the remaining dough.

6. Once the dough has been rolled out, cut the dough into the shape you'd like. I went with circles. Just make sure that they have at least a 2-inch circumference.

7. Then, take one of your pieces of dough and spoon about 1/4 teaspoon of the fig paste and about 1/2 teaspoon of the cooked mushrooms on top. Finally, place another piece of the pasta dough on top and use a fork to press and seal the edges.

8. Once the water is boiling, add about 5-7 raviolis at a time and boil for a couple of minutes until they float. Remove with a slotted spoon and add more ravioli.

9. Once they are all done, serve immediately with balsamic reduction, EVOO, sesame seeds, green onions and vegan parmesan.

10. If you want to make your own balsamic reduction, simply take one cup of good quality balsamic vinegar and bring it to a boil in a small saucepan. Once it begins to boil, lower the heat to a simmer and let reduce for 5 to 7 minutes. Stir occasionally and don't leave unattended to prevent burning. It will be ready when the balsamic coats the back of a spoon.

11. Enjoy!

Let me know if you make this! Tag me by using @mindfulgrub or the hashtag #mindfulgrub when you share your creations on social media. I‘d love to hear how it went for you!

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Recipe adapted from rabbitandwolves.com