Kicking off the special 3 year blogaversary guest post series is my dear friend Trix. I know you are all familiar with Trixie’s blog Tasty Trix, and if you are not then you must live under a rock. Her friendship is one that I cherish, her blog posts and recipes ones that I very much look forward to, and her photography always makes my mouth water. I am so excited and honored to have her guest posting and celebrating with us. Please help me give Trixie a very welcome.
Virtual acquaintances come and go in the food blogging world, but just as in real life, a very small handful of people emerge as true friends. Even though I have never met her in person, Nancy is in this small group for me. We bonded over our shared love of animals in general, and dogs in particular. And anyone who loves dogs as much as I do is okay in my book.
So when she asked me to do a guest post to celebrate her three years as a food blogger, I was fully on board. She mentioned that I could use a dish from my archives, and so my mind immediately went to this one: a broccoli and provolone ravioli smothered in a rich pork ragu. I originally created the dish a year ago when I was challenged by a Philadelphia food blogger to come up with something based on iconic foods of her city. This is my riff on the roast suckling pig sandwich, the “Arista,” which you can get at Philly’s famed sandwich joint Paesano’s. I also drew on Philly’s rich Italian immigrant culture to come up with my dish.
Given that my post will be running around the time the U.S. celebrates Independence Day on July 4, I thought a melting pot dish that pays homage to Italian American cuisine, with a twist, would be the perfect thing to share with Nancy’s readers.
This is a dish to make on a weekend, as you’ll want to start the sauce first thing in the morning and let the delicious smell fill your house all day long.
For the sauce:
2 medium yellow onions, diced
3-4 ribs celery, diced
4 carrots, small dice
6 tablespoons olive oil
3 ounces chopped prosciutto
1 pound ground pork
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, removed from casing
1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 28 ounce can San Marzano plum tomatoes
salt and pepper, to taste
In a large stockpot over medium heat, saute the onions, celery, and carrots in the olive oil. Add the prosciutto and a dash of salt and pepper. Next add the meat, but don’t let it brown – just cook until fragrant and no longer pink. Add both cans of tomatoes and give everything a stir. Bring the heat down to low and let simmer for hours, uncovered. Once the meat is cooked you can taste the sauce and add salt and pepper, but be stingy with it until the sauce is almost finished, as it will reduce throughout the day and concentrate the salt flavor.
Meanwhile, make the dough. You can use AP flour or, ideally, farina tipo “00.” You will need roughly 1-2 large eggs per cup of flour. I used 3 cups of flour and ended up needing 5 eggs. Make a well with the flour (add a good pinch of salt), put the eggs in the middle and mix until the dough comes together. Don’t knead for too long or the dough will get tough. I did a pictorial on it here. Let it rest in the fridge for at least an hour.
For the filling, blanch one large bunch of broccoli rabe for one minute in boiling salted water, and immediately plunge into ice water. Dry thoroughly and chop very finely. To this, add 2 ounces of grated sharp provolone, one beaten egg, and enough ricotta to hold everything together.
When you’re ready to make the ravioli, roll the dough out into thin sheets, and place one-inch balls of filling at even intervals. Fold the dough over the filling, and cut the ravioli to your desired size using either a ravioli cutter or a bench cutter and a fork. Refrigerate until ready to cook.
When it’s time to serve it up, boil the ravioli in salted water for just 3 minutes, top with sauce, grate a little sharp provolone on top, and make sure to pour yourself a glass of red wine.
Happy blogoversary, Nancy – here’s to many more years. Salut!
Salut and a million thanks Trixie. It has been an honor having you share this scrumptious recipe and I know we all can’t wait to try it.
I’d like to wish my American friends a very happy 4th of July. Have fun and be safe.
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Recipe and images by Tasty Trix
I love ravioli, this looks scrumptious and I can only imagine how tantalizing the ragu must smell while it simmers away!
Me too, and this really looks scrumptious.
A lovely guest post! Those ravioli are fantastic. I really love that choice of filling. Scrumptious!
Cheers,
Rosa
Thank you Rosa. I know that filling keeps calling out to me:)
Beautiful!!!
What a gorgeous Recipe and beautiful guest post!!
I am a big ravioli fan, so have to try This!!
Thanks Reem, I couldn’t agree more:)
Hi Trixie,
Thank you so much for being my guest and celebrating with us. Your ravioli looks out of this world. Ravioli, and tortellini, are some of my husband’s favorite pastas. So I can’t believe I forgot to mention that in his pasta post. Anyways, I know we would both really enjoy your recipe. Can’t wait to make it, hopefully soon. Hugs!
What a wonderful meal! I really like this ravioli.
Yes it is:)
It was my pleasure, and I am honored to help you celebrate your blogoversary!!! Many hugs! xoxoxo
Thank you sweetie and hugs back! xoxo
Thanks for the well wishes, Trix. This looks wonderful! And it is making hungry for some right now!
Thank you Victoria! You should give Trixie’s recipe a try.
Happy blogoversary!
Trix – amazing job (as always)
Thank you Cher!
Congratulations! What better way than celebrate with good friends and food? Gorgeous dish, as always!
No better way Belinda :)
1 I am one who has lived under a rock :) !
2 I am crazy about canines also!
3 Think this one ‘mean’ recipe! A wee bit of work involved, but for the love of friends, one will try and am certain will impress!! Thanks!
Lol, Eha you crack me up:) Well, since you are crazy about canines then that means I like you even more now. Yes Trix’s recipe involves a little more work but so well worth it. I’ve had homemade pasta before and it just doesn’t compare to others.
A great recipe and I enjoyed looking around her blog.
Glad to hear it Suzanne:)
Hi Trixie! We especially kids love ravioli and we started to eat more often and this pork ragu sounds wonderful!!
I think ravioli is a pasta that everyone loves. And a pasta like this what’s not to love? :)
Trix does know her way around a noodle. Fun dish and great flavors. Pork ragu is a great idea!!! Nice to meet you, Spicie Foodie!
Hi Deana,
I would say Trix just knows her way around food, she if very talented;) Nice to meet you too.
A gorgeous and delicious dish!! I could just dig into this one! Blessings my dear, your friend, Catherine xo
Hi Catherine,
It really is, Trix is such a great cook. Hope you are well sweetie:)
Your purple potato gnocchi is forever imprinted in my mind, Trix – and this deliciously rustic homage to Italian-American cuisine is equally impressive! Congratulations on 3 years, Nancy!
Hi Priscilla,
Trix’s purple potato gnocchi is still one of my favorite recipes, and definitely one of the best I’ve seen in the 3 years of blogging. Thanks sweetie:)
Happy blogaversary. I have been following Trix for a while, love her stuff and this a great recipe from her.
Thank you:)
Ok, I live under a rock but thank you for introducing me to Trix. Gorgeous recipe and great photos. Yum!
Hi Hester! Hehe, go check out her blog:)
Fantastic guest post and it’s one of my fav friday food. Loving the flavor in this dish.
Thanks Kankana!
What a gorgeous guest post!! And thank you for introducing me to Trixie! She has such a gorgeous blog! :)
Hi Anuradha,
Thanks and I’m sure you’ll really love Tasty Trix:)
Beautiful and delicious guest post Tasty Trix! I’m dreaming about the pork ragu now;-)
Happy blogaversary Nancy, great recipe and post to start your special celebration;-)
Thank you Patty!
What a fantastic guest post… love the ravioli! Nice to meet Trixie!! Well done to both of you!! Great way to kick of a new year in blogging . :)
Thanks Ramona!
mmm, what a beautiful tasty dish! love blogging acquaintances. so nice to meet nice people, especially from all over the world.
Thanks Anna.
Great guest post! Homemade ravioli is on my bucket list. I may even be able to get the hubby to eat broccoli rabe if I put it in ravioli.
It’s on mine too Julie, I just have to carve out the time.
Looks delicious!
It sure does:)
Oh, how gorgeous!!! What an incredible dish…I know my daughter would love the ravioli :) Thanks to you both for sharing…and congrats on the Top 9! Hooray!
Thank you Lizzie:)
Congrats on making Top 9, both to you Nancy and Trix! You totally deserve it with this awesome guest post and recipe. More than anyone else, the two of you have made my blogging experience so much more meaningful because of your genuine kindness and friendship. I just can’t wait to meet you both one day! And Nancy, I know I’m in a time warp, but Happy 3rd Blogoversary and may there be many more years of blogging to come <3.
Much hugs,
Maya xoxo
Hi Maya!! I can’t wait to meet you in person one day. It would be so great meeting you both. You know how much I adore you and your blog. Hope all is well, thanks sweetie. xoxo
Wow, that looks amazing!! I bet it has such a great flavor!
It really does!
Happy blogiversary! And what a guest post this is–that pork ragu looks absolutely amazing.
Thank you!
Congratulations on making the foodbuzz Today’s Top 9!
Thanks CJ!
Hey Trix…wow, what a wonderful dish and so gorgeous! I must try this ravioli…simply delightful! And I hope we all get to hang out together someday soon :)