- [Narrator] Sarah's Weeknight Meals is made possible by Sunsweet and by - Cooking is the first kind of love you know.

It was starting when I was child, with my grandmother doing fresh pasta.

And now I introduce it to all the guests.

It's something made specially for them.

- [Narrator] Oceania Cruises, proud sponsor of Sarah's Weeknight Meals.

(gentle music) - [Narrator 2] Zwilling, makers of Fresh and Save, the vacuum food storage system.

One of the ways Zwilling has been helping cooks do it all in the kitchen for 290 years.

The Zwilling family of cookware is proud to support Sarah's Weeknight Meals.

(gentle music) - [Sarah] Basta pasta means, "Enough pasta" in Italian.

But you know, I can never get enough.

I just love pasta.

And one could argue it's the best candidate for a weeknight meal, 'cause it's so quick and easy.

But who makes the best pasta?

Today we'll travel all the way to Tuscany to answer that question.

We'll join local chef Alessio Benioli, for a lesson in homemade pasta, made with a secret, oh so local ingredient.

- [Alessio] We drink wine, we cook with wine, and we make also pasta with wine.

- [Sarah] Why not, why not?

- [Alessio] Wine not?

- [Sara] Why, oh!

And if bad puns have no international boundaries, that shouldn't stop you from making this delicious tortelli stuffed with local asparagus and goat cheese.

This is the best tortelli I've ever tasted.

To you, you, you, you.

Okay, that was pretty hard to beat.

Back home in my kitchen, I've got a homemade ravioli that's done in 40 minutes, thanks to a time saving secret ingredient.

Quick homemade cheating American ravioli verus wine soaked Italian tortelli.

Which is better?

It's a US, Italy pasta smack down, today on Sara's Weeknight Meals.

(gentle music) I've got some girlfriends coming over to eat today and I'm gonna make them one of my favorite recipes from my new cookbook.

It is bitter greens ravioli with cheese.

And it's vegetarian.

I don't know why, I'm just cooking so much vegetarian these days.

I just love vegetables.

Isn't it nice?

And hey, you know, it's healthy.

So I'm starting with my bitter greens and I've got quite an assortment here.

I need nine cups chopped.

So let me just show you.

This is a wonderful thing to have in your kitchen, it's an eight cup measuring cup.

And yes, it's for liquid and I'm putting solid in there.

But this isn't rocket science.

So the fact that I've got eight cups, or nine cups of greens in a liquid measure doesn't matter.

But let me get 'em cooking, and then I'll tell you what I am cooking.

And we're gonna use the liquid from the greens to make the sauce.

Okay, let me get some oil into the pan.

So we need about three tablespoons.

Extra virgin olive oil, this is Mediterranean.

So, what I have here is mustard green.

These are very peppery.

I love them.

This is rainbow chard, which isn't all that strong.

You take out the rib.

I just love this.

This is watercress, but you see how tender it is?

I'm not even gonna bother chopping that.

Oh and arugala, it's just, it's intense.

Okay, I think that's good.

I'm gonna get these guys in here.

We're just gonna wilt them down.

Oh yes!

That's the sound you wanna hear.

Add a little more.

Takes no time at all.

So I'm gonna season as I go.

And some pepper.

This is almost done.

See how quickly it goes down?

I'm gonna squeeze it, 'cause we don't wanna put a wet filling in our ravioli.

The wet filling would make the ravioli get soggy and break.

We're gonna let this drain until it's cool enough for me to really squeeze it.

And I've got this cool tip to show you about how to get all that liquid out.

So as I said, this is Italian.

We're gonna be putting into the filling some ricotta cheese.

Homemade, if you wanna make it.

It's really fun and pretty easy.

And then we're gonna also add some pecorino romano.

So, we need about three tablespoons, and I'm gonna use my microplane here.

(gentle music) So there's that.

And, okay.

Let me see how we're doing with this.

Yeah, I think I can start squeezing this.

So, this here, you probably know it as a potato ricer.

It's like a giant garlic press.

And it's just the best way to get liquid out of greens.

Oops.

And then just watch this.

Brilliant, right?

Isn't that amazing?

Greens are, they're all water.

When you think about it, most of the tools in your kitchen have so many more uses than you even know.

Now why am I saving this liquid?

You ask.

Because it's got tons of flavor in it, and since this is a vegetarian recipe, I could use vegetable stock, but why should I use vegetable stock when I've got this fantastic tasting liquid from the vegetables that I've just cooked.

Do you believe that was nine cups of greens?

It's just so amazing.

Okay.

So this is what I was looking for in my greens.

I have my juice and I'm gonna get my cheese.

I need a quarter cup plus two tablespoons of ricotta.

Homemade or store bought.

Full fat or low fat is fine.

And then my three tablespoons of pecorino.

Let me just bring this- Here I'm just gonna bring this over, and add it right from here.

Oh, you know I did way too much.

I can't help myself.

I'm a cheeseaholic.

Boy I won't know what I would do if I found out I was lactose intolerant.

Okay.

So, now, nutmeg.

Now nutmeg's a classic.

Let me just wipe off my hands.

With spinach, but it goes very nicely with other greens as well.

But a little goes a long way.

And it really just grates so nicely, so I'm gonna stir this up and give it a taste.

And see if I got something I like.

And then I can start stuffing.

And this cheese has cooled down enough so I think we'll be fine.

Get a fork.

Now you can make the filling ahead of time but I wouldn't stuff the wrappers ahead of time because they will just get too soggy, even though we've just squeezed everything out of here.

That is delicious.

Oh, that's so fresh.

My friends are gonna be so happy.

Okay.

So, I have my filling.

Let me get my wrappers out.

Now, wonton wrappers, these are the square ones.

This is nothing more than fresh Chinese pasta.

And it is, you can get 'em square, you can get 'em round, you can make round ones too if you want.

I like the square ones, because you can get more filling into them than the round ones.

The round ones just aren't as big.

They dry out really quickly.

Oh by the way, where you find them is in the refrigerated section.

You also can find them in the freezer, and you work with a few at a time.

You want roughly a heaping tablespoon per wonton.

What I'm using to seal the wrappers is some egg white.

It's my glue.

So I'm brushing the edges.

This is really the most important thing when making ravioli, is making sure they're well sealed.

Okay, you put the top wrapper on, and you squish it on one side, and then you try to press all the air out.

And then you pick it up.

Be aggressive.

Make sure it's so well sealed.

Now if I wasn't gonna cook these right away, I would put plastic wrap and a damp towel on top so they don't dry out.

(light upbeat music) Okay.

So here we go, if there's a lot of flour in the bottom, just dust it off.

Okay.

And these take about four, five minutes.

And you know what's interesting?

Is usually homemade pasta or fresh pasta doesn't take that long, but this is double thickness.

Keep in mind that we've got two wonton wrappers sandwiched together.

So it takes a little longer.

And how you know when they're done, is you take one out and you just cut off an edge, you know so you don't let the filling out, and taste it.

And if it tastes just perfectly cooked, just al dente, then out it comes.

Oh, see, this one opened.

He's not going in, 'cause that would go all over.

And if it does, you know as Julia Child says, "Never apologize, never explain."

That everything's exactly the way it's meant to be.

'Cause people are so happy that you're making dinner and they're not.

Okay.

So let me give it a little stir.

And while that's gently cooking, I'm gonna tidy up.

Okay.

(light upbeat music) All right, remember that liquid I saved, this goes into this pan.

And look at that beautiful color.

The ravioli.

And I'm not gonna drain them really well, 'cause we want some of that cooking liquid.

All right.

They go right into here.

Just to heat up and finish, we're gonna add butter.

Oh what the heck, let me put some butter in right now.

We've got two tablespoons.

And it will melt in the sauce.

Okay.

There's one guy that's sticking to the bottom.

Okay, turning it off, and I'm ready to plate.

And I've got my friends coming over, so I wanna make sure that it looks really beautiful.

This is a nice thing to make for somebody.

It's, you know, how often do you get, I mean, I don't have to tell them I didn't make the pasta.

I just bought the wonton wrappers.

But how often do you get homemade pasta?

I mean, really.

You expect to find that in a restaurant.

I actually think three is quite a lot.

And I'm gonna tip the sauce and put it on.

And then, down here, that is not all.

There's always many layers.

We have more of the pecorino, and just some chopped toasted walnuts, which finish it off nicely.

Another nut that would be great in here would be pistachios, or pine nuts.

Okay, we're good to go.

I'm gonna go out and see if my friends are here.

(light upbeat music) So ladies, dig in.

This is a vegetarian dish, just for you missy.

- Oh, it's perfect.

- It's bitter greens in assortment with ricotta and pecorino.

You know, I have a secret ingredient here, it's wonton wrappers, that's the pasta.

I did not make the pasta.

I know you'd like to think I've been slaving here, but I did not.

- No, you would never know.

- Thank you for joining me.

- Thanks for having us.

- Let's have a little toast.

- To lovely gardens.

- Cheers.

- There we go.

- And wine.

- And wine, yes.

And wonderful ravioli.

(light upbeat music) Hello, rolling green hills.

Hello, medieval towns.

Hello, vineyards.

Hello, wine and pasta.

Hello, Tuscany.

(gentle music) This region has been calling tourists for thousands of years, and I'm one of them.

That's how I found myself at Villa Dianella near the tiny town of Vinci.

With owner Veronica d'Entreves.

(Veronica speaking Italian) (light upbeat music) And what do you do here?

- Dianella is an estate, it's a boutique winery, located in the smallest town of Chianti, that is Montalbano.

And mostly we produce good olive oil, - Olive oil as well too.

- Yeah, of course.

And a wide selection of wines, reds, - [Sara] And including this.

- [Veronica] Including this, I mean this is our wine that is made with Malvasia Lunga del Chianti, - Okay.

- It is late harvest.

- [Sara] Back in Veronica's kitchen in Tuscany, I had a special treat.

I'm cooking with local chef Alessio Benioli, and he's showing me how to make pasta with and unexpected but totally local ingredient.

So Alessio, what kind of pasta are we making today?

- We start preparing pasta with red wine.

So chianti pasta with fresh asparagus and goat cheese.

- Red wine in the pasta?

- Red wine they do.

Yes.

- I have never heard of that before.

But of course, we're in Chianti, what do you do?

You add wine to everything.

- We drink wine, we cook with wine, we make also pasta with wine so, - [Sara] Why not, why not.

- Wine not?

- Wine, oh!

(Both laugh) Okay, then your bad.

All right, so where do we start?

- Now we start preparing the sauce, melting butter and fresh sage.

- [Sara] Oh, that's it?

For the sauce?

- Yes, it's just really simple.

- It's that simple?

Just two ingredients.

- [Alessio] Yes.

- [Sara] Wow, I mean do you think that pan's big enough?

- I hope you are really hungry today so, (Sara laughs) - We are able to make a big plate of pasta.

So we start melting the butter, and then we add the sage to make the infusion, to give the butter the smell of the fresh sage.

- [Sara] Oh wonderful.

- [Alessio] So we start preparing.

- [Sara] So just that, how many leaves was that?

- [Alessio] Just three or four leaves, because the sage have a strong, strong smell, so we don't need much.

- Oh yeah!

Oh yeah.

But that's great.

So do you get it brown, or just melted?

- No just melted, because we have not to cover the taste of asparagus.

- So that's the sauce.

- That's the sauce ready.

- Terrific!

Okay.

- Now we need the pasta.

- All right.

So now let's move on to the pasta.

So we turn that off and park it.

- [Alessio] Yes, we are ready.

- [Sara] Okay.

(soft relaxing music) - [Alessio] Now you can serve the wine.

A little bit for us, and a little bit for the pasta.

- Oh I like that.

(Alessio laughs) I like that.

Okay.

- Okay.

- So we start with the flour, and what kind of flour is it?

- [Alessio] This is semolina, so durum whey semolina, - [Sara] Durum whey, - Yeah durum whey.

- So it's, it's high gluten content.

- Yes because this, the best flour for making pasta.

This is a kilo of flour.

We use less eggs, because we have to use wine for making the dough.

- [Sara] I see!

So if we weren't adding the wine, we would add more eggs.

Okay, so go ahead let me watch.

- So we can start.

We can make the volcano, - [Sara] The volcano.

- [Alessio] Yes.

- [Sara] Okay.

- [Alessio] And we broke inside three eggs.

(soft relaxing music) Okay.

Now we start mixing, - [Sara] You have to do this with your impeccably clean hands.

- [Alessio] Hands or machine.

But with hands is more fun.

- [Sara] Yes.

So you slowly bring in the flour from the outside.

- [Alessio] Yes.

And now we add also the wine.

- Okay I can do that.

How much?

- [Alessio] Eh, we have to see, we have to, reach the right consistency, we can't measure.

- [Sara] So say when.

Okay.

- I think we use less half liter.

- [Sara] Half lit-, two cups that is.

- [Alessio] Yes.

We can try to mix.

- [Sara] Wow, that's a stunning color.

- [Alessio] Yes.

We don't measure the wine, because we have to touch the consistency of the dough - [Sara] Okay, so when it feels right.

- [Alessio] I think we need, more wine.

- This is thirsty.

- Yes, thirsty pasta.

- Very thirsty.

- [Alessio] But, now we can move on the marble.

- Oh we shove the whole thing on the marble?

- Yes we can move on the marble, and - [Sara] Do you want me to move the cutting board elsewhere?

- I can move - To the sink?

- Yes.

- I'll take it to the sink.

- Oh thank you.

- Okay.

- Next time I will be your assistant.

- [Sara] Oh I like that but, I also love getting a personal pasta lesson.

All right, so you tell me where to put the - Okay yes here.

- [Sara] You make another volcano.

- [Alessio] Yes, another little bit.

Yes.

- [Sara] So you say when, - [Alessio] Oh it's okay.

- Looks good.

- Yes.

And then we start continue mixing.

(light upbeat music) - [Sara] Oh you can work up quite a sweat doing this huh?

- If you are not hungry when you start, you are hungry when you finish.

- When you're done.

- Yes.

(light upbeat music) The dough is ready when you come back with your hands clean, - [Sara] Oh my goodness, look at that.

Before you had all the dough on your hands.

- Yes because the dough starts really really sticky, and when you work it, - [Sara] Oh let me see, that's beautiful.

- [Alessio] It's ready.

- [Sara] Now, we got the gluten, it's all tight.

- Yes.

- [Sara] So this has to relax for how long?

- Two hours, three hours.

- Two to three hours.

- Yes, yes.

You store in the refrigerator, cover and wait three hours.

- [Sara] Okay.

- And take a breather.

(panting noise) After working.

- Well you, me too.

Woo!

That was hard.

All right, so we can make the filling while that's resting.

- Yes.

It's easy.

This is ready and we put in refrigerator, and we ready to prepare the filling.

- [Sara] We start with cheese.

What kind of cheese is it?

- This is a goat cheese from the Mugello area.

Mugello is an area north of Tuscany.

- [Sara] Okay, so we have the asparagus, and how did you prepare it?

- Okay we have separated the top of the asparagus.

- [Sara] But you took off the bottom.

- [Alessio] Yes we took off the bottom, it is hard.

- This stuff is woody.

- I cook it half way, - [Sara] And the tops, the top is the garnish, and the bottom goes in.

- [Alessio] Goes inside here, with goat cheese and one egg.

(light upbeat music) (egg cracks) - Any salt and pepper?

- Just a little bit of pepper, because we have enough salt in the goat cheese, so.

- You want me to do the honors?

- Yes, you can put a little bit.

Okay, it's enough.

- [Sara] So that's it for the filling?

- [Alessio] Yes.

Now we are ready, to do.

It's rested, so we can start preparing tortelli.

- It's tortelli time!

Did I tell you I'd never made it before?

- Well now you can - Now I'm gonna learn.

- You can know, - You do it first, and then I'll try to do it like you.

So you cut a little piece off, - A piece of dough, - Look at how, how soft it is after - [Alessio] Now the gluten has become really soft, - [Sara] Relaxed.

- Yes, and now we are ready for making - [Sara] So you have a lot more flour on the counter.

- [Alessio] Yes.

We can use now all flour we need, because the flour we use now, goes away when we cook pasta.

- Should I just cut another piece like right here?

- Yes.

- Okay.

Might as well do it with you.

- [Alessio] When we cook the pasta, all this flour goes away so, - [Sara] Okay.

- And now, we press with rolling pin.

Now we prepare the layer of pasta, and you see that it's ready when you can see the shape of your hand behind the pasta.

- [Sara] I see.

Yeah look at that.

Wow!

All right.

- When you are ready, - Okay let me, let me catch up to you.

Okay so you start like this, and then just roll.

- [Alessio] Yes.

Now we cut, the layer of pasta, and we have to make, some little square.

- So you don't, you don't really measure it, you just eyeball it.

- [Alessio] Uh yes.

Ten centimeters, I think is enough.

- [Sara] Oh goodness.

- [Alessio] Twenty, this is more or less.

- Two and a half, three inches.

We don't do centimeters, you know?

- [Alessio] Oh if I not, - [Sara] How's the shape?

How's that?

- I think it's okay.

- No you're supposed to say it's great.

- When we prepare pasta, using the rolling pin, we have to touch.

When we use the machine, we select, - It's more consistent.

- Yes.

- Do you want me to roll it some more?

- I think it's enough, I think it's okay.

- Okay, but when you use the machine, it's not made with love.

- No, this is more, more fun.

And with the machine, you can reach every time the same result.

- Yeah.

- But, I make, - It's a love or consistency.

- Uh, I prefer love.

- Me too.

(Alessio laughs) - [Alessio] Okay.

We make some little square, (upbeat music) (tambourine plays) (upbeat music) Now we have some little square, we just stuff it inside, we close and seal, like a little triangle.

- [Sara] You make a triangle.

- [Alessio] Yes, and then we round and we make the tortello.

Fantastic, good job.

- [Sara] Great.

- Down, - Overlap these two, - Yes, okay.

- [Sara] And then you flip them up.

- [Alessio] Yes.

- [Sara] They come up.

- [Alessio] Yes.

- [Sara] Like that.

- [Alessio] It's like a hat.

- Like a hat.

- Yes.

- Okay.

They don't have to be glued on, just like that.

- [Alessio] Fantastic.

- Okay, great.

I am gonna go down, to the cellar and meet Veronica, and pick us some wine for dinner.

- Good idea.

- I'm gonna let you finish all of it.

Hard work since you started.

- Okay, okay.

See you soon.

- [Sara] Five minutes in boiling water to cook and then, Mangia!

(light airy music) Our al fresco meal is a family affair, including Veronica's father, Piero Antonio.

- [Veronica] Chianti's good with pasta, especially the one you make with the chianti in the dough.

- So it's a food friendly wine.

- Exactly.

- Well, of course!

I mean it's Italian!

- [Veronica] Yeah.

- [Sara] Oh, there he is!

Oh!

(clapping) Look at that!

Oh!

That is so beautiful.

Wow.

- So our hard job.

(light airy music) - [Alessio] Veronica, I give you the tortelli made by Sara.

- Oh dear!

Oh dear!

- Wow that's so good!

- [Sara] Yeah I was learning, so I'm not sure they were all squished together appropriately.

- You did a great job Sara!

- [Sara] Well, it was fun!

Mm!

- [Veronica] They're delicious.

- [Alessio] Today maybe learn to eat vegetable.

- I'm getting the wine in the pasta, that's so cool!

- [Alessio] Yes.

You can - Taste it.

- [Alessio] Taste the, the smell and taste of the wine, but also consistency of the pasta changed.

(light airy music) - Perfecto.

- [Alessio] Perfecto.

(light airy music) - [Sara] To Alessio, (wine glasses clink) - [Veronica] Alessio, (chattering) - [Sara] I'm just a newbie, what can I tell you, yes.

Um, this is just the best thing I've eaten since I've been in Italy.

And perhaps the best tortelli, ever!

- Ever?

(laughs) - [Sara] Ever!

You, you!

Yes.

I love the filling.

It's so simple.

- It's simple, but so tasty.

- [Veronica] If you have fresh ingredients, very good olive oil, very good wine, very good chef, - [Sara] Oh, and excellent chef!

- Yes, but today we have also a good assistant.

(laughs) - Just saying, just saying.

- [Sara] I have a toast, it's to great chefs, and wonderful assistants.

Extraordinary.

And what do we say?

What do we say?

- We say, with a great wine, and we say, "Sante".

- Sante!

Sante!

Yes, yes, yes!

Chug a lug, there we go.

To be honest, I'll leave making this truly outstanding pasta to the Italians.

But after sitting outside, sipping wine in a beautiful villa with new friends, well, every time I make my weeknight version, I'll close my eyes, and dream I'm back here.

I'm Sara Moulton, thanks for joining me on Sara's Weeknight Meals.

(light airy music) For recipes, videos, and more, go to our website, saramoulton.com (upbeat music) Sara's Weeknight Meals is made possible by Sunsweet and by Cooking is the first kind of love you know.

It was starting when I was child, with my grandmother doing fresh pasta, and now I introduce it to all my guests.

It's something made specially for them.

Oceania Cruises, proud sponsor of Sara's Weeknight Meals.

(dramatic music) - [Narrator 2] Zwilling, makers of Fresh and Save, the vacuum food storage system.

One of the ways Zwilling has been helping cooks do it all in the kitchen for 290 years.

The Zwilling family of cookware is proud to support Sarah's Weeknight Meals.

(dramatic music)