With Thanksgiving behind us, many of us still have quite a bit of the bird staring at us from storage containers in our refrigerators. When you have had your fill of turkey and stuffing sandwiches, you may like to try this for a change of pace.
First, make homemade pasta. You will need about 2.5 cups of flour, 3 eggs, and a dash of salt. Mix in a standing mixer or food processor until it forms a ball of dough. You will probably have to add 2-5 tsp of water, but only add water as needed. Once the dough is formed, take the dough to the counter and knead by hand for another 5 minutes. Wrap in plastic wrap and let set on the counter.
Meanwhile, chop up some leftover turkey very finely. Heat a skillet and a little olive oil and warm up the turkey. Add crumbled bacon (few slices) and add parsley, salt and pepper, and fresh rosemary if you still have some left. Otherwise, add whatever spices you like. Take off the heat and add a quarter cup of ricotta (I made fresh), parmesan, and an egg. Go back to your dough, and using your pasta attachment for your mixer, make flat dough for your ravioli.
I press the dough gradually from level 1 to level 4 for ravioli. With your flat dough on the counter, use a small round cookie cutter or end of a small can (such as tomato paste), to make round shapes. Put a teaspoon or so on every other pasta circle. To seal, take a plain pasta circle, wet the edges with water, and seal with a filled side. Squeeze edges together with your fingers or a fork.
Drop ravioli in boiling salted water for about 8 minutes or until “al dente”. Serve with your favorite alfredo or marinara sauce. If you make too many, these ravioli freeze well. I recommend freezing them in storage bags in a single layer in individual serving sizes. When February comes, and you are cold and hungry, you can pull out your Thanksgiving leftovers for another appearance! Enjoy!