As far back as I can remember, pasta has held a very special place in my life. My first memory of pasta is Chef Boyardee in one compartment of my divider plate and Iceberg lettuce dressed with Miracle Whip in the other. No matter if it was Spaghetti O’s, Roller Coasters or Ravioli with meat sauce, the I LOVED the stuff! Don’t judge.

Even though my love affair with pasta has not wavered, much has changed since my after-school afternoons with Chef B. I’ve exchange the glass of milk for a nice Cabernet, and the Ravioli, well, the Ravioli is a tad bit different. These days I prefer to make pasta from scratch and handcraft a unique, flavorful filling. Much like the ones I created using Dark Chocolate Banner Butter.

About the Product

While industrial scale butters are made with unripened cream and added “natural” flavoring, Banner Butter, a small-batch butter, is made with patiently-cultured cream from hormone-free, grass-fed cows with no added flavoring. We go big, but only in taste. Everything else is small, simple and slow. ~ Banner Butter

I lived for many years under the guise all butters were created equal. Not so. I was terribly mistaken. I came across Banner Butter while visiting the local farmer’s market, and haven’t turned back since. This is REAL butter, and it is stellar.

Banner began in 2014 in Atlanta. Offering flavors such as Sea Salt, Balsamic Fig & Caramelized Onion and my “to-die-for” favorite, Cinnamon, Cardamom & Ginger, it is the quintessential butter. If you haven’t had the pleasure of enjoying Banner Butter, it ranks as the #1 recommended product on The Front Porch and I highly recommend you try it! I’m not alone on this bandwagon. Highly acclaimed Chef Linton Hopkins of Restaurant Eugene said, “I love butter so much that I once wrote an ode to it. Banner Butter lives up to my ode.”

Contact Banner Butter

For more information on Banner Butter and to find retail locations near you, visit www.bannerbutter.com

The Recipes

Handcrafted Ravioli Filled with Dark Chocolate Banner Butter, Black Truffle & Raspberry Ricotta

An impeccable Handcrafted Ravioli filled with Black Truffle, Dark Chocolate Banner Butter and Raspberry Ricotta drizzled with a Browned Dark Chocolate Butter and Raspberry Infused Balsamic Reduction

Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients:

For the pasta:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, + additional for dusting the work surface
• 1 tsp. salt
• 4 large eggs
• 2 tbsp. good olive oil
• Salt for pasta water

For the filling:

• 2 cups homemade or good quality ricotta, well drained
• 2 tbsp. Banner Dark Chocolate Butter
• 2 cups fresh raspberries

For the Drizzle:

• ½ round Dark Chocolate Banner Butter
• 1 cup Raspberry Infused Balsamic Vinegar
• ½ -1 tsp. sugar
• ½ cup raspberries

Directions:

Add flour and salt to a stand mixer. Using the dough hook, begin mixing. Add three eggs, one a time, allowing each to incorporate into the dough mixture.  Slowly and incrementally, add 1 tbsp. olive oil until dough begins to form into a ball. Set mixer on low and allow to knead for about 5-7 minutes. Remove from mixer, coat with additional olive oil, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, make your ravioli filling. Add ricotta, butter and 1 cup of raspberries to a stand mixer and blend well. Cover and refrigerate while you finish the pasta.

Remove from refrigerator. Divide dough in half and begin working dough through a pasta roller, using widest setting first. Run dough through this setting twice, then lower setting. Pass through twice, then lower setting again. Continue this pattern until you have passed the dough through the lowest (thinnest dough) setting possible. After dough is completely worked, cover with a damp cloth until all dough has been stretched and thinned.

Place one sheet of dough on a floured surface. Using a biscuit cutter, cut pasta rounds for the ravioli. You can also cut into squares or rectangles using a pastry blade or pastry knife. After the ravioli pasta is cut, place one teaspoon filling in the center of each round. Using your finger or a pastry brush, brush egg wash all around the edges of the ravioli. This will be your glue to adhere the top pasta round. As you place the top pasta round over the filling, use your fingers to work out all air pockets as you seal the ravioli.

Bring a pot of salted water to a low boil. You want the ravioli to cook easily. Drop a few ravioli in at a time as to not crowd the pot. When they float to the top, they are done. Remove with a slotted spoon to dry on parchment. Keep warm.

In a small processor, puree remaining raspberries with sugar, holding on to a few berries for garnish. In a small sauté pan, melt butter and allow to brown. It’s a little harder to tell when the butter has browned by color, but the aroma will be similar to regular butter, nutty. Be very careful not to burn. Once the butter is browned, stir in the balsamic and raspberries. Allow to slightly reduce, then remove from heat.

Serve ravioli with a side salad of seasonal greens, and drizzle both salad and ravioli with the chocolate balsamic reduction. Garnish with additional greens and fresh raspberries.

Note: For easier prep, use wonton wrappers for the ravioli pasta. You can also easily change the flavors in this recipe to make it seasonal by varying butter, balsamic and fruit flavors. This would be fantastic using lemon zest ricotta, lemon butter, lemon infused balsamic and adding lump crab meat and fresh shaved asparagus. That would make a wonderful spring pasta!

Port de chocolat Wellington

An exquisite Beef Wellington with Dark Chocolate Banner Butter, sautéed Wild Mushrooms and Shallots, drizzled with a Chocolate Buttered Port Reduction

Yield: 2 Beef Wellington

Ingredients:

• 1 round Dark Chocolate Banner Butter
• 2 sheets puff pastry
• 2, 8-12 ounce filet mignon
• 2 shallots, finely diced
• ½ cup wild mushrooms, finely diced
• 4 tbsp. mushroom or liver pate
• 4 springs fresh Thyme
• ½ cup good port wine
• ½ cup beef stock
• 1 tsp. aged balsamic
• 2 egg yolks + 1 pinch of salt
• Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

In a sauté pan, melt ½ the round of Banner Butter over medium heat. Add shallots and mushrooms, Thyme and salt & pepper to taste. Sauté until the mushrooms and onions are caramelized, about 10 minutes. Add port wine. Allow alcohol to cook off, and liquid to reduce about 3-5 minutes. Add beef stock. Stir in vinegar and remove from heat. Place vegetables in a small bowl. Set aside.

Season filets well with salt & pepper. In the same pan, over high heat, sear all sides of each filet until a nice crust forms, but no longer than 1 minute each side. You want to sear the filet to lock in juices, but not cook the filet.  Set aside.

Unfold puff pastry on a flat surface. Cut into 2 squares large enough to completely wrap each filet. Place 2 tbsp. pate in the center of each puff pastry sheet. Top each with half of the vegetables. Place each filet over the mixture. Wrap each filet completely in puff pastry by pulling up all sides and forming a seam. Flip each pastry and place seam side down on a parchment lined baking sheet. Brush each pastry with egg wash (yolk + pinch salt). Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Remove from the refrigerator. Score the top of the pastries and brush again with remainder of egg wash. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until pastry is golden brown. Top with additional pats of Chocolate Banner Butter.

Note: Baking time may vary depending on size of filets and calibration of your oven. Also, for a nice side jus, melt additional butter, with 2 tbsp. port, 1 tsp. balsamic, sprig of Thyme and salt & pepper to taste. Allow port to reduce and serve on the side.

*Thank you to Banner Butter for providing your amazing product. Although the products were complimentary, all thoughts, opinions, words, over indulging and drooling are strictly my own.