Growing up, every meal had either rice or pasta. This is probably why the first meal I ever cooked consisted of penne and some meat sauce. We always just bought our pasta because making it from scratch seemed complicated. I have taken it upon myself to learn how to make one of my favourite pasta dishes, homemade mushroom ravioli..
I’m not going to lie, it may take a couple tries to get the pasta dough just right. Every time I make it, it seems to get better and better. I’ve only used all-purpose flour, but I’ve seen many instances where people do half all-purpose and half semolina for a more dense pasta. This vegan pasta dough will work for any shaped pasta, or for this recipe, mushroom ravioli!
Pasta Dough
Yields: 2-3 servings; approx. 20 raviolis
Dough:
- 2 cups flour (all-purpose, “00”, or semolina)
- 1 cup warm water
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- pinch of salt
Filling:
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 large mushrooms, diced
- 3/4 cup spinach, finely chopped
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- pinch of basil
- pinch of oregano
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup silken tofu, pureed, or 1 egg
- 3 tbsp flour
Filling Instructions:
- At medium heat, In a large pan, saute onion and garlic in oil until the onion is translucent.
- Add in mushrooms and spinach, cook until spinach has wilted.
- Add in lemon juice, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper, then stir until combined.
- Reduce heat to low, add in silken tofu and stir until well combined.
- Stir in flour one tablespoon at a time (more or less, as needed). The ingredients should begin to bind together. You should be able to form the mixture into small balls without it crumbling apart.
- Turn off the heat and set the filling to the side.
Dough Instructions:
- Place flour on a flat, preferably wood, surface. Create a large well in the centre.
- Pour water, olive oil, and salt into the well.
- Using a fork, stir the water mixture, slowly pulling the flour into the water mixture.
- Continue stirring until a dough forms and little to no loose flour remains, approx. 7-10 minutes.
- Knead the dough for 7-10 minutes to activate the gluten. Add extra flour and/or water as necessary. Push your finger into the dough, the dough should begin to spring back to its original shape. If not, keep kneading.
- Cover the dough and set aside for 30-60 minutes.
- Roll out the dough until you can see your hand through the dough, about 1/16 inch. For the filled pasta, cut out rectangles and place a small amount of filling onto one side. Fold into a square and pinch around the edges to ensure they do not open. If you are not using the filling, cut and/or shape pasta in any way you’d like.
- Bring salted water to a boil, and boil the pasta for approx. 2-3 minutes, adjust time as needed. (Homemade pasta cooks a lot faster).
This recipe is great to pair with a cream sauce, or just some olive oil and parmesan!
If you do not want to make the mushroom ravioli, skip the filling instructions.
Homemade Mushroom Ravioli
Ingredients
Pasta
- 2 cups flour all-purpose, “00”, or semolina
- 1 cup warm water
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- pinch of salt
Filling:
- 1 ½ tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 4 large mushrooms diced
- ¾ cup spinach finely chopped
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- pinch of basil
- pinch of oregano
- salt and pepper to taste
- ¼ cup silken tofu pureed, or 1 egg
- 3 tbsp flour
Instructions
Dough
- Place flour on a flat, preferably wood, surface. Create a large well in the centre.
- Pour water, olive oil, and salt into the well.
- Using a fork, stir the water mixture, slowly pulling the flour into the water mixture.
- Continue stirring until a dough forms and little to no loose flour remains, approx. 7-10 minutes.
- Knead the dough for 7-10 minutes to activate the gluten. Add extra flour and/or water as necessary. Push your finger into the dough, the dough should begin to spring back to its original shape. If not, keep kneading.
- Cover the dough and set aside for 30-60 minutes. While you wait, prepare the filling.
- Roll out the dough until you can see your hand through the dough, about 1/16 inch. For the filled pasta, cut out rectangles and place a small amount of filling onto one side. Fold into a square and pinch around the edges to ensure they do not open. If you are not using the filling, cut and/or shape pasta in any way you’d like.
- Bring salted water to a boil, and boil the pasta for approx. 2-3 minutes, adjust time as needed. (Homemade pasta cooks a lot faster).
Filling Instructions:
- At medium heat, In a large pan, saute onion and garlic in oil until the onions are translucent.
- Add in mushrooms and spinach, cook until spinach has wilted.
- Add in lemon juice, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper, then stir until combined.
- Reduce heat to low, add in silken tofu and stir until well combined.
- Stir in flour one tablespoon at a time (more or less, as needed). The ingredients should begin to bind together. You should be able to form the mixture into small balls without it crumbling apart.
- Turn off the heat and set the filling to the side.
Making your own pasta can be such a satisfying experience. There is nothing like it. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
Enjoy!
Vanessa
