Rainbow Carrot Pork Ravioli
A perfect dish for Easter or any spring party! If you’d like to simplify the steps, you could prepare only an orange and green dough for orange carrots, or prepare plain pasta dough for the best tasting pork ravioli! Either way you choose to prepare, this dish is sure to please!
I prepared four different colored pasta to achieve the colors of rainbow carrots using very simple household ingredients! Yellow + Turmeric; Purple = Beet Juice; Orange = Tomato Paste; Green = 1 cup of spinach leaves
Rainbow Carrot Pork Ravioli
Colorful pasta dough that is shaped to resemble rainbow carrots, stuffed with the most decadent and savory pork ravioli filling!
Ingredients
For the pasta base for each color:
- 1 cup flour
For the dyed dough:
- Purple: 1 boiled or canned beet root
- Yellow: 1 tbsp turmeric powder
- Orange: 2 tbsp tomato paste
- Green: 1 cup spinach leaves + tsp of water
For the Pork Filling:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ finely chopped white onion
- 2-3 strips of bacon finely/ rough chopped
- ½ lb ground pork
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- ½ cup grated parmesan
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 1 sprig parsley
Instructions
For the pasta:
- In a food processor or blender, combine the egg and egg yolk with the natural food dye ingredient (i.e. 1 cup spinach, tomato paste, etc.) of the color that is being prepared.
- Blend/ pulse until combined. On a cleaned surface area that you can knead your dough, pile 1 cup of flour onto the surface and create a well in the center. Pour the egg/ dye mixture into the center and begin dragging the flour into the wet mix with a fork, incorporating it by making circular motions.
- Once combined enough, start using your hands to bring the dough together and knead into a smooth ball, sprinkling with flour if too sticky. Wrap each dough that has been prepared in cling wrap and let rest for 30 mins. Prepare your filling.
For the pork filling:
- Begin by heating a large skillet over medium high heat. Add olive oil to the hot pan and begin sauteing the chopped onion and bacon.
- Once bacon is cooked through, add the ground pork and garlic, cook until ground pork is cooked entirely. Remove from heat and let cool.
- In a food processor or blender, combine the prepared pork mixture with the remaining filling ingredients: 1 egg, ½ cup parmesan, ½ cup breadcrumbs, sprig of parsley.
- Pulse until the mixture comes together. It will not be smooth, but you want a sort of paste to form for the filling.
Assemble the Ravioli:
- Begin by working with the orange dough a third at a time. Begin rolling the dough so it takes a rectangular shape, and at this time section off a third of the green dough for the carrot top. Work it into the shape of a rope and lay it along the top of the orange rectangle.
- Now roll the two doughs into one thin sheet, with the green as a thinner strip on the top. Cut the sheet into smaller rectangles, about 3" wide. Spoon the ravioli paste down the center of the pasta sheet.
- Pull over one side of the pasta sheet to cover the filling, finally rolling it entirely so that the dough is sealed. You will have a green top that can be pinched at the top of the filling, resembling green carrot leaves.
- Repeat this step for the remaining ravioli. Seal in a tight, sealable bag and freeze or prepare immediately.
To Cook the Ravioli:
- Plunge the ravioli in a pot of slated, boiling water. Cook for 6-8 minutes and strain. Pair with your favorite pasta sauce or butter.
