Pheasant Ragu Ravioli

Pheasant ragu ravioli is an elegant and tasty dish. If you don’t have pheasant available, you might substitute it with another type of game meat or, alternatively, with chicken meat for a more delicate flavor. Here’s how you can prepare pheasant ragu ravioli:

Ingredients for 4 people:

For the egg pasta:

• 300 g of type 00 flour
• 3 large eggs

For the filling:

• 200 g of ground pheasant meat
• 50 g of minced pancetta
• 1 small carrot
• 1 stalk of celery
• 1/2 onion
• 1 sprig of rosemary
• 1 bay leaf
• 50 ml of white wine
• 30 g of grated Parmigiano cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil

For the pheasant ragù:

• Leftover pheasant meat from the filling (if available)
• 1/2 onion
• 1 carrot
• 1 stalk of celery
• 400 g of tomato puree
• 100 ml of meat broth
• 50 ml of red wine
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil

Preparation

1. Start with the egg pasta: place the flour in a mound on a work surface, break the eggs into the center, and begin to knead until you have a smooth and elastic dough. Let the dough rest, covered with a damp cloth, for about 30 minutes.

2. While the dough is resting, prepare the filling. Finely chop the carrot, celery, and onion and sauté in a pan with a drizzle of oil and the minced pancetta. Add the ground pheasant meat, rosemary, and bay leaf. Brown well, then deglaze with white wine. Cook for about 10 minutes, adding a little water if necessary. Once cooked, remove the herbs, season with salt and pepper, and let cool. Finally, mix with the grated Parmesan.

3. Roll out the pasta with a pasta machine or rolling pin to obtain thin sheets. Cut out discs of pasta and place a teaspoon of filling in the center of each. Then cover with another disc of pasta and seal the edges well.

4. For the ragù, finely chop some more onion, carrot, and celery and sauté in a pan with a drizzle of oil. Add any leftover minced pheasant meat, let it brown, and deglaze with red wine. Add the tomato puree and meat broth, then cook on low heat for about 1 hour. Season with salt and pepper.

5. Cook the ravioli in plenty of salted boiling water for a few minutes until they float to the surface. Remove them with a slotted spoon and serve topped with the warm pheasant ragù.

Curiosity

Pheasant is a meat highly appreciated in game cooking for its strong and slightly wild flavor. The preparation of this type of meat dates back to ancient times and was considered a real dish for kings, often served in noble courts. When serving pheasant ragu ravioli, you could pair it with a structured red wine, which goes well with game, such as a Barolo or a Chianti Classico.