Caramelised Sweet Potato, Leek and Feta Ravioli in a Creamy Mushroom Sauce

Don’t you love it when the kids help you prepare dinner – and it works!  And for some strange reason they enjoy eating it even more.

 

 

 

I had a craving for some quality ravioli in a creamy sauce so had this planned as a weekend meal.  We also have some delightful baby leeks in the garden so they added to the inspiration and creamy mushroom sauce.  The result was caramelised sweet potato, leek and feta ravioli in Veggie Daddy’s very child friendly creamy mushroom sauce.  You could serve this with a green side salad or as I did today for a more balanced meal a piece of lightly steamed broccoli on each bowl.

The kids had fun helping roll, fill and press the pasta leading to quite a rustic look.  They soon lost interest in the task at hand after a few batches so they got out their Thermomix made playdough and created their own instead.  But most importantly when it came to dinner we were a pretty happy family with most coming back for more!

Pasta Dough

300g flour

3 free range eggs
Pinch salt

Filling

2 tbls olive oil

400g sweet potato or pumpkin cubed
1 baby leek or ½ large leek finely chopped
80g feta
Pepper to taste

Sauce

1 clove garlic

Approx 6 mushrooms
300g cream
Parmesan cheese or similar to serve

 

• Place flour, eggs and salt in Thermomix bowl and knead for approx 1 min until dough comes together

• Wrap in Thermomat or plastic wrap and place in fridge for an hour for gluten to rest

• Meanwhile make filling by placing oil, sweet potato and leek in a fry pan over a medium heat, cover, stir occasionally, and cook for approx 10 minutes or until pumpkin is softened and slightly browned

• Place sweet potato mixture in Thermomix bowl with feta and pepper and mix on speed 5 for 20 seconds to combine well.  Set mixture aside and clean bowl for making sauce

• Remove pasta dough from fridge and cut into 6 pieces.  Keep remaining pieces covered while preparing each batch

• Roll each piece of dough through a pasta machine at least 10 times.  My pasta machine has settings 1 – 9 and I like to roll to around setting 3 for ravioli into 5cm strips. 

• Place rolled pasta onto a lightly floured bench, place small spoonfuls of filling halfway along strip then cover with other half.  Press edges together and cut into pieces.  Lightly dust with flour and set aside.  Repeat with remaining dough and filling

• Bring a large pot of water to boil with a pinch of salt

• To make sauce place garlic in Thermomix bowl and chop for 3 seconds on speed 6.  Add mushrooms and chop for a further 5 seconds on speed 5.  Sauté at 100° for 5 minutes on speed 1.  Add cream and simmer at 80° for 10 minutes

 

 

• Add batches of ravioli to boiling water ensuring not to overcrowd.  Cook for approx 10 minutes or until cooked to your liking

• Serve ravioli with mushroom sauce topped with grated cheese

Enjoy!

Sweet Potato, Chickpea and Millet Patties

Now my reason for writing is to share my vegetarian family's journey and this recipe does exactly that.  Believe it or not, I have never cooked with millet before.  I've used various types of quinoa, amaranth, spelt, cous cous and other grains but never millet.  And I love it!  And more importantly, so does the family. 

Sweet potato, Chickpea and Millet patties

This recipe is all about healthy, nutrient dense vegetarian food that serves our bodies, especially young growing bodies, well.  It is high in complex proteins, very low in fat and sodium, and most importantly tastes great. It also makes a large quantity so is great for entertaining or freezing. 

Hulled millet is best to use as the tough shell has been removed making it quicker to cook without any reduction in nutrients.  It has a mild, nutty flavour and is easy to digest so it's great for little tummies!  Millet is nearly 15% protein, is rich in fibre, B-complex vitamins and essential amino acids and contains some vitamin E. Millet is also high in minerals such as iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium.  It's a versatile grain and in fact I cooked extra to make a tasty dessert for the kids mixed yoghurt and berries.

Millet grains

These patties could be served as a burger, with a light salad topped with yoghurt, or as we enjoyed them in the midst of winter, with Thermomix mashed potato, greens and rhubarb chutney.  Veggie dad loves his mashed potato, enough to lick the bowl clean.  Summer loves brussel sprouts (or fairy cabbages as we call them) and usually steals extras from dad.  And little Finn does a great job at self feeding brocollini (little trees).

Sweet Potato, Chickpea and Millet Patties in the Thermomix

600g water for steaming
100g hulled millet (can be soaked for 2-3 hours)
350g sweet potato chopped
180g chickpeas (soaked overnight and cooked or use 1 tin)
1 onion
1 clove garlic
1 carrot roughly chopped
1 zuchinni roughly chopped
1/2 MC sunflower seeds
1 tsp each cumin, coriander
1/2 tsp paprika, garam masala
handful of flat lead parsley or coriander

Place water in TM bowl and millet in steamer basket and insert
Place sweet potato in Varoma dish and cook 25 min Varoma sp 2 then set aside.
   (while waiting, prepare the other ingredients then play with the kids!)
Chop onion and garlic (5 sec sp 6)
Saute with 10g olive oil and spices (2 min 100° sp 2)
Chop carrot, zuchinni and sunflower seeds (4 sec sp 6)
Add chickpeas and mix (2 sec sp 6)
Add millet, sweet potato and parsley and mix until combined using spatula to assist (approx 30 sec sp 4)

Form into patties and coat in fresh breadcrumbs (I use frozen multigrain homemade breadcrumbs as shown in Everyday Cookbook)
Pan fry 5 minutes each side until golden.

Enjoy!