Growing up I was made aware at a very early age how important family is and one of the places our family always gathered was the kitchen. I'm not saying we all cooked while in the kitchen, mostly we watched my mom and my "Nana" effortlessly whipping up one dish after another. My most favorite thing to watch them make were homemade ravioli. My grandmother was 100% Italian and her husband was 100% Portuguese, making me 100% hungry all of the time. When I was younger they used a pasta machine with the crank on the side. Flour and water to make the dough, let it rest, roll it out and into the pasta machine it went starting off the dial (which determined the thickness) at a thick level and eventually cranking it down to the thinner levels. Cranking, cranking, cranking that lever....it was alot of work! For years my mother used this same machine until one day I saw an attachment on tv that had a MOTOR on it!!!! I immediately purchased it for her and boy was it easy street after that! Even though we had somewhat updated the process to make it a bit easier on our arms it was still the company that made it the most enjoyable time spent with family. After the dough was thinned out it was spread across a metal tray somewhat resembling an ice cube tray with ridges around the edges. Then spoonful sized dollops of spinach, cheese, etc. stuffing was placed ever so gently onto each square of the tray and the dough was then folded over on top and rolled over with a rolling pin to cut the edges and presto you have homemade ravioli that were then submerged into boiling water or chicken broth.
They would make hundreds of them, freezing them for Thanksgiving and Christmas, sending each family member home with some as a bonus for their hard work that day. I miss making ravioli with my Mom, I looked forward to it every year. It will have to be a tradition that I will one day attempt with my daughter. I will however be purchasing the machine with the motor!!!
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