Fifty weeks. Five-Zero. Us. At a gym. For fifty weeks. Who woulda thunk?!?
Certainly not either of us. We were both way over-weight, doing mundane tasks was a chore, and we were rapidly turning into sloths. But we ate well. A bit too well.
And then the notice about Silver Sneakers arrived in the mail. We found out we could actually get a free gym membership at the local LA Fitness, so we went up to see what it was all about. The thought was maybe use the pool a bit, walk on a treadmill… you know… old people stuff.
What we weren’t expecting to do was get a health assessment and to sign up with a Personal Trainer for a year – at an outrageous sum of money per month, I might add…
That outrageous sum of money has been the best money we ever spent.
I cannot begin to tell you how much better we feel. How much energy we have, how much easier life, in general, has become. And it’s all because we answered an ad in the mail – and took a chance.
If you’ve been following the saga, you’ll note that we eat well. We’re not dieting by any stretch of the magination. We eat what we want with no forbidden foods. By not denying ourselves we’ve been able to change how we eat – smaller portions, for one, and making better choices to fill us up, for another.
Our ooey-gooey desserts have pretty much gone by the wayside, but they’ve been replaced with lots of fresh fruit – usually topped with prosecco or a crisp white wine.
We’re not suffering.
We eat bread, we eat white rice, we eat potatoes. In fact, here’s the bread I made yesterday:
It’s made with Rustic Red Fife Wheat Flour from Anson Mills. The thought is, if we’re going to eat something, it’s going to be a good something.
Which brings us right to tonight’s dinner…
It’s amazing how many foods are on do not eat lists – with every list designed by someone making money from it. Can’t eat carbs, can’t eat bread, can’t eat pasta. Can’t eat anything that is fun, comforting, or filling.
We’ve pretty much destroyed that theory.
We saw a variation of these ravioli being made the other night and immediately knew they were destined for dinner. Yes. We have lost weight and still eat like kings. And this may be the most kingly thing I have ever eaten.
Ever.In.My.Life.
It’s a ravioli with an egg yolk inside. I can’t even begin to describe it. Words are failing me.
The recipe is actually quite simple, the ingredients are few, but the combination is simply out of this world.
The pasta dough is based on a recipe from Alon Shaya. The filling and sauce are pure Victor.
Pasta Dough
- 1 1/4 cup 00 flour
- 1/2 cup semolina
- 2 eggs
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 tsp olive oil
Mix flours. make a well and add the eggs, egg yolks, and oil. Slowly mix in the flour and knead until smooth. Let rest 30 minutes before rolling to desired shape.
Ricotta Filling
- 2 cups ricotta
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup shredded Italian cheese blend
- 1/2 cup grated parmigiano reggiano
- 1/2 cup cooked spinach, chopped and drained well
- pinch garlic powder
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 egg yolk per ravioli
Mix all ingredients – except final egg yolk – together. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Fresh Tomato Sauce
- 2 large tomatoes
- olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- splash water
- salt and pepper, to taste
- fresh basil for serving
Heat oil on skillet. Add minced garlic and lightly cook. Add roughly-chopped tomatoes with their juices. Stir in oregano and a splash of water. Simmer until tomatoes break down and sauce slightly thickens. Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper, as desired.
To Assemble and Cook
Roll dough through pasta machine and cut into circles – one slightly larger for the top.
Place filling on bottom round and make an indentation. Place a single egg yolk. Dampen edge with water and place top piece of dough over, carefully pressing out any air. Crimp and seal.
Place in large shallow pan with barely boiling water and cook for exactly six minutes.
And then we have the finished product.
Total food porn. There’s really no other way to describe it.
After plating the dish, Victor topped it with grated Cured Egg Yolk – egg yolks dried in salt and sugar.
This really was one of the best meals I have ever eaten anywhere. Every single bite was a taste sensation, from the perfect pasta to the fresh tomatoes, the rich cheese filling – and that runny egg yolk. Every bit of it came together – perfectly.
I swooned at every bite.
Going to the gym, losing weight, and eating like kings.
It really does not suck to be us.