Handmade Ravioli (Not Made By My Hands)

I love Eastern Market. Just walking through the South Hall and gawking at the vendor stalls brings me joy. Pies at the bakery counter, scallops at the seafood counter, and ohmygod CHEESE! at the glorious dairy counter. But most of all, I love to stare longingly at the infinite flavors of homemade ravioli at the deli counter.

Why I haven't yet tried these is a complete mystery, but I finally got a chance to do so this past week when my parents were visiting from California (also why I haven't been posting). They are just as beautiful as the fillings are delicious -- tastefully striped squares of colored pasta, filled with such blissful ingredients as goat cheese, ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, blue crab, mushrooms, and butternut squash. We chose lovely marigold-striped pillows filled with butternut squash and goat cheese, and they were the fullest, fattest, most ridiculously overstuffed ravioli I've ever had. TO DIE FOR!

Get thee to Eastern Market... STAT!

We bought a pound, which yielded about four per person, which was perfect for a side dish. We cooked them according to the deli's instructions, and then tossed them with about a tablespoon of salted butter, and a sprinkling of grated Romano cheese. We served them with green beans sautéed with olive oil, salt, pepper, shallots, and pressed garlic (add the shallots about halfway through, and the garlic about a minute before the beans are finished), and cod sautéed with olive oil (and a pat of butter, for better flavor), salt, pepper, and paprika.

Simple, summer, goodness!