Ravioli Della Nonna (Mario's recipe)

A Ligurian style recipe which calls for a pinch of "the smell of Liguria" Sadly the old style "smell of Liguria" does not exist any more. Previously in the morning markets there you would find the 'preboggion' which is a bunch of all sorts of wild herbs, placed together like flowers. Now instead you can use a combination of marjoram, oregano and thyme

Serves 6

ravioli

Method

Cut the veal and chicken into small pieces, put to fry on very low heat in the butter, the sage and rosemary and a little bit of garlic. Let the mixture stew, don't allow it to colour. Add salt and pepper.

Clean the borage (or spinach) then steam with very little water or* (see method below for cooking green vegetables) When cooked, strain, add parsley and basil. Put all into the mincer.

Dice the mozzarella, herbs, ham and sausage. Sausage should not be cooked. Add some eggs, nutmeg, salt and mix well. Filling should be soft but compact.

Make ravioli doughin normal way.

Cook the ravioli in a lot of water and not too fierce a fire

Suggested Sauces

• Tomato Sauce- best with fresh tomato
• Cream Sauce
• Butter and Cheese - melted butter and parmesan cheese
• Butter and Sage- burnt butter in which the sage has been cooked
• Virgin olive oil - just with good quality virgin olive oil
• Mushroom with Tomato

* Cooking green vegetables To retain flavour in spinach/chicory and other green vegetables, it is best not to boil them but to wash them, dry and cook very quickly in a wok. The juice remains inside and does not come out. This way they are semi-steamed, and the water remains in the vegetable. If you steam completely, they lose all their natural juices and their goodness is gone.