The meal is different but this is a reprint of last year’s New Year’s Eve post… I can only wax poetically about new years so much…

If my mom ever cooked anything special for the new year, I really don’t remember it. The first time I recall hearing about good luck New Year’s foods was when I was in the Navy. Working with lots of guys from down south, Hoppin’ John entered my vocabulary. As I got older and moved around the country, more traditions arrived.

When I lived at Lake Tahoe, working for the Hyatt, I worked with a lot of Mexicans. They made tamales and brought them in for everyone to share. Somewhere, I remember King Cake – that was probably Boston. Black-eyed peas and cornbread followed me around the USofA, and landing in Pennsylvania, it became Pork and Sauerkraut. Victor would divorce me if I ever made pork and sauerkraut – so much for good luck.

After years in the restaurant and hotel business, the very last day I want to be out is New Years Eve. It’s even worse than Mother’s Day. I don’t know if you can even imagine the horror of delivering pizzas on such a night, or dealing with drunks throwing glasses in the general vicinity of a casino fireplace. We were still finding shards of glass for weeks after that one…

Other than a few small house parties, First Night in Boston was probably the most fun of the New Year festivities I’ve experienced. Definitely the most unique. Outdoors in a cold, snowy Boston with performances ranging from classical to contemporary in a score or more different venues. And the crowds were relatively well-behaved.

We had bullets raining down on us when we lived in San Leandro – why people think it’s a good idea to shoot guns into the air boggles my mind. We flew across the country on New Year’s Eve 1999 to bring in the year 2000 with Victor’s family – on a near-empty flight in deserted airports. And being locked out of Times Square after seeing The Producers with Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick less than a half-block away was pretty aggravating. We ended up heading back to our hotel and had a champagne toast with the bartender, the Beverage Manager, and a couple from Norway as the clock struck twelve.

Normally, I eschew crowds – especially the throngs out on a New Year’s Eve – but I do think I’d like to ring in the new year in a European city, Rome, London, Paris, Florence, Barcelona… I dunno… Outdoors in a huge plaza, somewhere – and within walking distance of wherever we were staying. The biggest stipulation being within walking distance of where we would be staying. I wouldn’t want to have to deal with any sort of transportation. And I could definitely envision a moonlit walk through Paris at 3am…

It’s nice to dream…

But what I didn’t have to dream about was last night’s dinner… Victor made a egg yolk-stuffed ravioli that was simply out of this world.

It was one of those meals that simply could not be improved on. It was perfection on a plate.

The pasta dough is based on a recipe from Alon Shaya. The filling is 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 tsp fresh oregano
• 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.

To assemble:

Roll dough through pasta roller or roll out by hand. Cut into rounds – one slightly larger for the top.

Place a scoop of cheese mixture on top and make an indentation for the egg yolk.

Then add the egg yolk…

… and top with a pinch of shredded cheese.

Moisten edges and place second round of dough on top, gently pushing out the air and sealing well.

Cook in lightly boiling water about 4 minutes, give or take.

Serve with your favorite sauce…

And then cut into it and watch that lovely yolk run out…

It’s even better if you have a loaf of fresh-baked bread to sop everything up.

This is a loaf Pane Pugliese – one of my favorite breads to bake. Pane Pugliese is a rustic bread from Puglia – in Italy’s heel – and  comes from The Italian Baker by Carol Field.

This bread requires a starter – biga – that needs to be made the day before you want to bake the loaf.

Pane Pugliese

Biga

• 1/2 tsp active dry yeast (or 1/10 package fresh yeast)
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 1 1/4 cup water (room temperature)
• 3 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Stir the yeast into the warm water and let stand until creamy – about 10 minutes.  Stir in the remaining water and then the flour, one cup at a time.

Mix with the paddle attachment on the mixer at the lowest speed about 2 minutes.

Remove to a slightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise at cool room temperature for 6 to 24 hours.  The starter will triple in volume and still be wet and sticky when ready.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Pane Pugliese

• 1 packet dry yeast
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 3 cups water; room temp
• 1 cup biga
• 7 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp salt

Proof the yeast in the warm water. Add 1 1/2 c water and the biga, mix till blended. Add flour and salt, mix till dough comes together and pulls off the sides of the bowl. Knead 3-5 minutes in a mixer, longer by hand. Dough will be very soft and elastic. Let rise about 3 hours, shape into 2 small round loaves or 1 big flattish one. If you have baking stones, place loaves on baking peel or on baking sheets sprinkled corn meal. Let rise about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 450°, and 10 minutes before baking flour the loaf tops and dimple them with your fingers. Bake 50-60 minutes for big loaves, 30-35 minutes for small. Tap the loaves to test for doneness (hollow=done) and cool on a rack.

The perfect bread for the perfect pasta and a perfect end to the year.