One of my favorite vegetables is eggplant. Fortunately it grows very well in our garden in Montana. So well that I freeze eggplant for use all year ’round. I freeze it two different ways; breaded and cooked with onions and garlic so that I have options as to how I can use it all winter long. In the summer when the garden is producing like crazy I make a Roasted Vegetable Lasagna that is a truly memorable meal. This eggplant ravioli is another meal I love to make with the eggplant harvest. It’s a little time consuming because I make my own pasta but it’s worth it because it tastes so good..

I experimented a while back with making what I called an “eggplant pesto” and served it atop salmon and Chilean sea bass. It was a rich, flavorful creation and a little went a long way. I thought that it would be a marvelous filling for homemade ravioli so I decided to try it and see how it would work. (I also found that I can make this from the eggplant mix I have in the freezer, using it as a starting point.) Since I am craving this meal and am considering it for Valentine’s Day dinner I am bringing back the recipe from the archives.

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Eggplant Ravioli with Fig Balsamic Reduction

Serves 2

For the Filling:
2 small Japanese eggplant
1 small white onion, peeled and cut into quarters
2 large cloves garlic
2 TBS extra virgin olive oil, divided
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
2 TBS finely chopped basil
1 tsp salt
water to help seal the ravioli
For the pasta dough
7 oz flour – I use a mixture of semolina and all purpose
3 eggs
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
For the drizzle:
1/4 cup Fig Balsamic Vinegar (or regular balsamic if you don’t have fig)

Preheat the oven to 350°
Trim the eggplants and either poke them with a fork a couple of times or slice them with a knife so they don’t explode while roasting.
Add the eggplants, the garlic cloves and the onion to a baking dish.
Add one tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Mix everything with your hands to make sure they are coated with the oil.
Roast for 30 – 45 minutes until the eggplants and onions are very soft.

How to Make Homemade Pasta

Measure out the flours – I use a mix of 4 oz of semolina and 3 oz of all purpose but all regular flour will work just fine.
Pile the flour on your clean counter and make a well in the center.
Add the eggs, salt and oil the center and carefully stir with a fork to break the yolks and mix.
Slowly start bringing in the flour from the sides without breaking the flour wall.
Do this until almost all of the flour is incorporated.
Knead the dough for 10 minutes.
Flatten into a disc and refrigerate for an hour.

Make the filling:

After the vegetables are done remove them from the oven and cool slightly.
In a food processor fit with the steel blade drop in the onions and eggplants. Squeeze the garlic out of their cloves into the mix. Process for about 30 seconds to a minute until you have a smooth paste.
Add the basil, toasted pine nuts and olive oil.
Process until the nuts are finely chopped.
Set aside until ready to use. If it is going to be several hours refrigerate the mixture.

How to Make Homemade Ravioli:

Bring the pasta dough out of the refrigerator.
I have a KitchenAid pasta roller. Follow the directions for whatever machine you have to roll out your pasta into sheets.
You can make the ravioli in one of two ways; use a ravioli maker or hand cut them. I have a ravioli make so I will show that way.
Lay a sheet of pasta on top of the bottom frame.
Use the press to stretch the dough to make the indentation for the filling.
Add about a teaspoon of the eggplant filling to each.
Brush around each ravioli with a bit of water to help them seal.
Top with another sheet of pasta dough.
Roll over the base with a rolling pin being sure that the dough is pressed down thoroughly.
Turn over to release the ravioli and carefully separate.

Repeat until you have used up all of your pasta dough. I generally get two dozen ravioli with this recipe. Any leftover filling is very tasty on crackers. Or if there is enough it’s delicious on spaghetti.

How to Make a Balsamic Drizzle:

Add the balsamic vinegar to a small heavy bottomed sauce pan over medium heat.
Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer.
Cook until reduced by half.
Taste and add a little salt if needed

Cooking Homemade Ravioli

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Add a generous amount of salt.
Carefully add the ravioli and cook for about a minute after they rise to the top.
Carefully remove to a strainer.

To serve – add the ravioli to a bowl and drizzle with the Fig Balsamic Reduction

How Was the Eggplant Ravioli?

We both really enjoy this meal. It’s rich, I’m not going to deny that and it does take a little time in the kitchen but it is so worth it. A simple salad with a nice vinaigrette is all you need to complete the meal. Since this is a celebration dinner a tasty dessert is called for, right? Nothing too heavy since the ravioli are quite filling so how about a Lemon Raspberry Angel Food Cake or Strawberry Lemonade Sorbet.