Veal Ravioli with Porcini Mushroom Sauce

On a recent cruise, one of the best dishes I ate at one of the ship's superb restaurants was veal ravioli in a porcini mushroom sauce. I don't know their exact recipe, but I'm sure this comes close.


                                 Veal Ravioli

1 pkg. fresh lasagna strips
1 egg
1# ground veal
1/4 cup olive oil
1 small carrot, fine diced
1 small onion, fine diced
1 celery stalk fine diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tsps. freshly chopped parsley
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 cup tomato sauce
salt/pepper to taste

Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a sauté pan. Add carrots, celery, onion. sauté for 6-7 minutes until tender. Add garlic and cook 2 minutes. Add veal. Cook until done, about 4-5 minutes. Add pepper flakes, parsley, thyme, salt, pepper, and tomato sauce. Reduce liquid until mixture holds together well.

Lay out lasagna sheets. Cut into 2-inch squares. Add 1 tsp mixture into center of lasagna. Beat egg and brush edges of sheet. Lay a piece on top and crimp edges with a fork.

To cook, bring four quarts salted water to a low boil. As raviolis 4 at a time and cook until they float, about 2 minutes. Drain on paper towel.


                                                  Porcini Mushroom Sauce

1 1/2 oz. dried porcini mushrooms
1 cup warm water

2 tbl spoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup dry white wine or dry Marsala wine
1 1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tsp freshly chopped rosemary
salt/pepper to taste

2 tbl spoons butter
2 tbl spoons flour

Add dried porcini mushrooms to warm water. Allow to soak for 30  minutes. gently squeeze moisture from reconstituted mushrooms but reserve all liquid.

Add olive oil to sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until slightly caramelized. Add garlic and cook 2 minutes. Add mushrooms, mushroom liquid, white wine, and stock. reduce heat and simmer until 2 cups liquid remain - about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Mix butter and flour into a paste and whisk into mushroom mixture until thickened.

Add raviolis to sauce to reheat.

Serve with chilled white wine and buttered bread. Delicious.