When it comes to feeding kids, it can sometimes feel a little like feeding mini Gordan Ramsay’s. They can have some mighty opinions on food, how it’s presented and what colour plate it comes on. Did they secretly go to culinary school somewhere between teething and toileting?
When kids seem to each have 72 different opinions on what food they like & don’t like, it can seem impossible to create healthy and nutritious meals.
Pasta always seems to be a winner in our house! Making homemade pasta is especially such a great family activity! There’s something so warm & homely about the whole process! Our 2, 3 & 4 year olds always love to join in. Everyone gets to contribute to making our dinner, in a fun way, while making lifelong memories. Plus, I always make sure there’s a little extra pasta dough, for the kids to experiment with too.
When it comes to adding veggies, we always try to cook with seasonal ingredients. We have a veggie patch, which the kids also help to grow & maintain. I find that when the kids are involved with growing vegetables from garden to plate, they are more likely to try new things.
Time doesn’t always allow for making homemade pasta or growing vegetables from scratch, but if it does…here is a delicious Homemade Chicken Ravioli dish, everyone will love! What makes them even better, is cutting the ravioli into fun shapes!
The Little Giants Mini Fruit and Vege Cutters - Set of 12(for $19.95), make the perfect bite sized ravioli for little mouths! When selecting a shape cutter for your ravioli, try to find a rounder shape (like the flowers). They allow for more filling and seal better for cooking.
Homemade Chicken Ravioli
Pasta Dough:
- 300g flour (00 soft wheat flour)
- 3 eggs
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
Ravioli Filling:
- 400g chicken (minced, but you can mince chicken breasts yourself)
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 3-4 cups of spinach
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley
- 1/2 cup ricotta
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- salt & pepper
Tomato Sauce:
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves of garlic (crushed)
- 2 cups of passata
- a small handful basil
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- optional (cherry tomatoes & red capsicum)
To make:
- For the dough, place flour on the bench & make a well. Crack eggs, add oil & salt. Lightly whisk, bring in walls of flour to combine. When dough starts to come together, knead with your hand for 10 minutes. Cover in glad wrap and set aside on the bench.
- To make the filling: in a food processor, l add in the garlic, spinach & parsley. Give it a quick whiz. Then add the ricotta, Parmesan cheese, egg, seasonings & chicken. Whiz again to combine. Cover & set aside in the fridge.
- Roll out the dough on the bench until even & thin (but not so thin the pasta will tear when cooking).
- In a piping bag, add filling and pipe dollops in a line, along the pasta. Fold pasta over and cup filling with your hands, then press around with your fingers to seal. Cut to your desired shape.
- Boil salted water. While you’re waiting for the water to boil…make the sauce.
- For the sauce: In a saucepan, heat oil. Dice onions & add to the pan, along with crushed garlic & sauté. Add passata & sugar. Cook through. Lastly add a pinch of salt & basil.
- Once water is boiling for your pasta, cook. The time is dependent on the size of your ravioli, so I recommend you test first.
- To serve, add pasta to your favourite plate or bowl. Add a few spoonfuls of the pasta sauce on top & garnish with Parmesan shards & basil.
- Enjoy 😘
Tip: When making your ravioli, don’t add too much filling! If you add too much, you have to cook the ravioli for longer and will overcook your pasta.
Recipe created and blog written by Laura O'Riley