Spice up your Christmas: Perfecting mushroom ravioli flavour
Christmas Eve dumplings, or ravioli, might seem like a small addition, but many people give them special attention. After all, the most important dinner of the year begins with borscht featuring these dumplings. A plate with these delicate dumplings is served to everyone, so it's worth the effort. The guests choose other dishes. However, selecting spices for the filling requires caution. Too much can overpower the mushrooms' natural aroma. What spices help enhance their flavour?
Most commonly, Christmas Eve borscht features ravioli with mushroom filling or with sauerkraut added. Some prepare ravioli with button mushrooms, a sensible option when small children are at the table. Forest mushrooms are not recommended for young children. Others can enjoy ravioli with porcini or bay boletes filling. With a few simple spices, it's a real treat.
Essential spices for mushroom ravioli
Before discussing the filling, let's mention the additives when soaking mushrooms. Whether you're soaking caps in warm water, milk, or broth, add two bay leaves and two quarters of white onion to the container. The onion extracts bitterness, and the essential oils in the bay leaves add a delicate spicy-herbaceous note.
After soaking and squeezing out the mushrooms, toss them into a pan with one or two more ingredients. Sautéed finely chopped onions cooked in real butter will give the filling a pleasant, creamy finish. To the onions, you can add one small clove of garlic, either finely chopped or pressed—an option for those who prefer spicier flavours.
Salt and pepper are indispensable spices. However, it is best to add freshly ground pepper at the very end. During mushroom sautéing, it can lose its aroma. Christmas Eve ravioli are small, so aim for finely ground pepper. Nobody wants to bite into a large piece of pepper.
What else can be added to the filling?
A less obvious spice for ravioli is marjoram, which is often added to Christmas Eve borscht. Marjoram highlights the forest aroma of mushrooms and imparts slightly sweet notes, perfectly balancing the sharpness of the pepper. Furthermore, the spice has positive effects on the digestive system. It soothes indigestion and prevents bloating, which can unfortunately occur during holiday feasting.
How to add marjoram?
For Christmas Eve dishes, dried marjoram works excellently, having a more concentrated aroma than fresh. Crush a teaspoon of dried marjoram in your hands and add it at the final stage of preparing the filling.
Other spices that pair well with ravioli
Mushroom-filled ravioli pair well with nutmeg, which enriches the filling with full, nutty notes. Thyme is also a good addition, slightly milder than marjoram. With it, the filling will be more delicate and fresh. Regarding ravioli with cabbage and mushrooms, you might consider adding ground cloves.
