Spelt Flour and Beetroot Ravioli - Vegan, Nut Free

*This post was sponsored by Hockley Valley Spelt Flour, available at Loblaws, Fortino’s, Zehrs, and Real Canadian Superstore, and more (visit their website to see a list of grocers).

Ravioli is the perfect stay at home dinner idea for you and your loved ones this Valentine’s Day (or Galentine’s Day!). Not only is pasta-making an ideal activity for two, but this ravioli is a lovely bright pink colour too.

Hockley Valley spelt flour is ideal for making handmade pastas because of its light and airy texture. Spelt is also known as farro, and is an ancient grain form of wheat, but has a higher fiber content and lower gluten content than regular wheat flour. If you’ve ever made pasta using wheat flour you will definitely notice a difference. The dough has more give and the elasticity does not feel as tightly wound, making it easier to knead into a smooth ball of pasta dough.

In this post I’m also sharing my recipe for vegan mushroom and black olive stuffing, but you can feel free to use any blend of stuffing (vegan or not) that you like. If you enjoy making homemade pastas then be sure to check out my recipes for Egg-Free Spelt Flour Pasta and Traditional Spelt Flour Linguine (contains egg).

Ingredients for Spelt Flour and Beetroot Ravioli - Vegan, Nut Free

• 1 medium roasted beetroot (about 1/3 cup)

• 2/3 cup water

• 2 1/4 cups Hockley Valley Light Spelt Flour

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 2 tbsp. olive oil

How to make Spelt Flour and Beetroot Ravioli - Vegan, Nut Free

1. Roast the beet at 375F for 45 minutes, wrapped in aluminum foil, and let cool. When the beet has cooled enough to work with, add it to a blender along with 1 cup of water. Pour through a sieve, pressing the beet pulp through. Set aside. You can use the beet pulp in another recipe or discard it as it will not be used in this dish.

2. Add the Hockley Valley spelt flour to a medium mixing bowl, along with the salt. Mix well. Make a well in the center and add the olive oil as well as 2/3 cup of the beet water you prepared earlier. Mix the oil and water in the center, then start bringing in flour from the sides of the bowl until it starts to come together into a dough.

3. Use your hands to knead the dough for a full minute. The dough will start out dry but will become smooth and almost waxy looking. It should not be wet or sticky. You can dust lightly with flour if needed. Form into a ball and let rest for 45 minutes.

4. Set up your pasta maker to roll sheets. Begin on number 2 thickness. Cut the dough into 4 strips of roughly equal size. Use your hands to flatten them slightly to fit into the pasta maker. Working with one sheet at a time only, run it through the pasta maker twice on number 2, and then twice each on number 4, 6, and finally number 8 thickness. Brush each sheet with a little bit of spelt flour to prevent it from sticking, and lay it aside on either a wooden board or a sheet of parchment paper. Do not stack or overlap the sheets as they will stick. If you mess up, just re-run the pasta through the rollers again.

5. Once your sheets of pasta are ready, retrieve your filling. My recipe for vegan black olive and mushroom filling is below, but you can use whatever type of filling your prefer. Lay out a sheet of pasta and place just under 1 tbsp of filling, 2 inches apart, and at least 1 inch from the edges. Then brush a little water around the filling as it will help the top sheet of pasta adhere securely.

6. Take another sheet of pasta and place it on top, using your hands in a cupped shape to press out any air bubbles around the filling. Press down firmly to adhere the top and bottom sheets of pasta. Use a knife or a ravioli cutter to trim away the excess, leaving about a quarter inch around the edges. You can make them any shape you like.

7. If not cooking right away, let dry on a lined baking sheet, without the edges overlapping. Dust with a bit of spelt flour if needed.

8. To cook, drop them a few at a time into a pot of salted boiling water and scoop them out as they float to the top. Serve with the sauce of your choice.

Makes 35 - 40 ravioli

Ingredients for vegan Mushroom and black olive stuffing

• 3 tbsp. olive oil

• 2 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped

• 7 cups chopped cremini mushrooms

• 1 1/2 cups pitted black olives

• 1 1/2 tbsp. dried oregano

• 1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh chives

• 1/2 cup rolled oats or steel cut oats

How to make vegan Mushroom and black olive stuffing

1. Add the oil, garlic, mushrooms, olives, oregano, and chives to a pan and saute on medium heat until the mushrooms are lightly browned. Add the oats and mix well, then take off the heat.

2. Transfer to a food processor and pulse until relatively smooth.

3. Store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to use.

If you liked this recipe, be sure to check out my YouTube channel for more delicious content!