Valentine, is a very alien word to my Mom, and she would still wonder, why do I need to cook a special meal to celebrate love…Those were the days , when birthdays, anniversary, and festivals were the only special occasions when a feast or special meal was cooked.
As young school going girls, the only thing we knew was that there is a day which is celebrated for us to feel special, and wait for a Red Rose coming our way…. To me Red roses started getting associated with Love, expression of love only when I got in my teens.
In college the intensity with which this day was lived became bit more significant as we had stepped into the Mills and Boon Era( that too was read with brown covers on them)…and we were always looking out for a prince charming…
With all that and a smile on my face, I still can’t date back when I started celebrating Valentine’s with full conviction…..
“Hey what is your plan for this valentine…Is SM taking you for a romantic outing?” If any of my friends ask me this, I will dig my head into the sand…till some years back, as we would barely had any so called special plans for the V day… and My frinds will have all stories to narrate , on how they are planning their respective evenings with surprises expected from both the sides…
Now all this sounds very filmy, but SM my better half for 17 years is the first someone special in my life.. who had always found these special dates very boring, and his belief in rather making “moments” special, Makes me think differently….His idea of being in love, is always a great meal.. Those who have known him, his friends, family know him as a very non romantic soul…
But believe me a well arranged table with some glasses of good wine, and some appetising meal, can turn the tables, and you can feel like a special valentine to someone any day of the year…Who else would know it better than me!!
With a sudden change in my lifestyle, my travelling, and unlimited time spent writing, I have barely any enthusiasm left to do extensive prep for special moments, and ordering food, or going out for a dinner, looks too artificial to me as an idea to express my love…
So with valentine just around the corner…I had my plans and off course we all will have our own plans……I am all set for a simple yet romantic meal…
Our meals have desserts as main course and main food can be subtle affair… so decided to have some handmade ravioli, stuffed with homemade ricotta with grated beetroot, served in parsley and beetroot sauce …I like to add that special ‘me’ touch by doing these little things like rolling out some pasta dough and making ravioli…instead of quickly tossing some pasta out of the packet..This is what I call expression of love!!
For desserts planned a simpler heart shaped pancakes with strawberry coulis…the idea is my daughter ‘Si’s girlie brain…and she decided to take over the charge to make and serve them… So this brought me some relief in terms of labor…
And our drinks, as usual favourite red wine just given a bit of twist for the special day, to make sangria, with some romantic fruits like strawberries and grapes available….
| Prep Time | 20 minutes |
| Cook Time | 40 minutes |
| Passive Time | 30 minutes |
| Servings |
people
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- 1.5 cups All purpose flour sifted
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 eggs
- 200 grams Ricotta Cheese
- 4 Tbsp Grated Beetroot
- 1 Tsp Black pepper Coarsely ground
- 1 cup Beetroot Puree cooked and pureed
- 2+1 Tbsp Butter
- 1 Tsp garlic Chopped
- 1 Onion Chopped
- Few sprigs Parsley
- 1 Tsp Flour
- 1 Tsp Black pepper Coarsely ground
- Parsley few sprigs
Ingredients
Pasta Dough
Filling
Sauce
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- Sift flour on to a clean work station, sprinkle salt , create a well in the center and crack eggs in it Slowly work the flour into the eggs and keep drizzling oil and make into a soft dough Allow the dough to rest covered in a cling film..for 30 minutes Cover and keep in a cling firm Let it Rest for 30 minutes
- Mix the ingredients of the filling gently
- Roll a small portion of pasta dough in to a thin sheet and cut in two Place a small portion in the center of one part and apply egg white around the filling Place the other sheet of dough over it and carefully seal around the filling using the pressure of the finger Now carefully cut the raviolli using the heart shaped cutter. Now use a fork to create marks all around the edges and collect all the raviolli s in a plate dusted with flour to avoid sticking. Now simmer a pan of water with salt. Add the raviolli to the boiling water and allow to cook for 10 min They start flaoting on top once cooked Remove carefully using a large strainer
- Heat the pan, add butter, add garlic and sauté till fragrant Add onions and cook till transparent Add flour and cook till raw smell goes Add beetroot puree and cook Keep adding vegetable stock to adjust the thickness Once done add salt, pepper. Add chopped parsley Now place the cooked raviolli in a pltae and pour the sauce over and around it. Garnish with parsley and parmesan cheese
Soft dough is the key to great pasta
The filling can be made ahead of time, add salt only at the time of actual filling of pasta.
| Prep Time | 10 minutes |
| Cook Time | 15 minutes |
| Servings |
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- 1 cup All purpose flour sifted
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp Sugar
- 2 Tbsp Vinegar
- 1/2 Cup Milk
- 2 Tbsp Butter Melted
- 1 egg
- 1 Cup Strawberries chopped finely
- 1/2 Cup Sugar
Ingredients
Strawberry Coulis
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- Mix all the ingredients in the order given and whick till smooth Fill in a piping bag Heat the pan and drizzle oil Pipe out the batter in to heart shaped pancakes Cook till done on both sides
- Heat a pan and add strawberries and sugar together Cook till soft and squishy and sugar dissolves Allow to cool
- Serve the pancakes with a scoop of strawberry icecream and strawberry coulis with sliced starwberries
This recipe is featured in Woman’s era Food section ..Read @
https://womansera.com/food/valentines-special-food-symbolic-love-words-inadequate/
Vedio @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgIcM5vf2Lw&t=5s
Looks really yummy n wat a story…. Worth a read…
Thanks Lopa for your readership…