Filling the freezer with ravioli

Yesterday I made a big basil harvest and processed it into pesto, so today I decided to stock up some ravioli for the freezer. I had forgotten how easy and satisfying they are to make until I got a wild hair to make a batch this spring. From the freezer, they make a really easy, but really nice-feeling dinner when you don't feel like cooking, and you can stuff them with anything. I'm pretty proud of this batch - the pasta is made with home-sprouted and milled flour and home-laid eggs and the filling is ricotta I made and basil and garlic we grew, just supplemented with some nuts and a little hard cheese we ordered in.

My basic pasta recipe is 2 cups flour, 2 eggs, a dash of salt, and just enough water to bring it together, then a lot of kneading. Rest an hour, then roll and cut as desired.

For filling, you can use anything that's not too wet or runny. Seasoned winter squash with a little cheese is a winner, ricotta with whatever herbs you have handy is a classic. You can get crazy with fruits and fancy cheeses and meats but to stock up I try to keep it kind of neutral.

To freeze, I just lay them out on a silicone mat on a cookie sheet, then move them to a bag or a tub once they're solid. Boil gently just until they float when you're ready to eat.

Yum, Roberta! And thanks for all the nitty gritty details :) 'Fast food' is so irresistible!

I know what you mean. When we work too late and there's nothing quick to eat, our fallback is nachos, which, you know... we buy the good organic chips and raw milk cheese, but I'd still much prefer that we were eating our own saved up produce instead of a bunch of store bought stuff. It's very nice to have some good, easy options in the deep freeze.