I don’t know how to feel about St Patrick’s Day. It kind of gives me the hibbie jibbies. I met my 1st girlfriend on March 17th, I was 19 and it went unnoticed. But I remember, the days when I used to play Breton and Irish music in the “Glasgow Pub” in my hometown. I had befriended three young Irish students from the local I.T ( I.U.T in French). They were quite cool and I was drawn to them like a pathetic magnet, having had so much overwhelming adventures in Donegal, Glenveagh National park, where I got the gig of a two months contract plucking freaking rhododendrons off the side of a mountain… I loved it, I was me again! Back home, I was lonely, I missed the hills, the red deers, the ocean, the solitude and the social aptitude…
I wanted to impress my Irish friends; with a few amigos, and before St Patrick’s day got fashionable on the continent, we gathered 14 musicians from the area, all skilled in the art of a good Irish/ Breton session; my three pals, from Mayo and Sligo, stood against the bar, sobbing and homesick like hell while we were playing popular tunes… I never understood what ” homesick” meant until I saw Raymond, pouring hot tears into his very expensive pint of stout!
As the day is coming, “Zee” big National day, and before I decide to hide under the freshly spring aired duvet cover that was swinging outside on the line, I wanted to do something a bit special. I had promised my friend Helen Cahill that I had a little special recipe in mind for St Patrick’s Day… I like Helen; young mother, farmer, cheese producer, she is not afraid, not only to travel the length of the country, but like my Irish friends from days gone by, go overseas to share some of the wonderful things her family has to offer. Cahill’s Cheese is famous for their Porter Cheese ( Black beer, stout, you name it…), and here is the way I decided to accommodate it with a bold and unusual recipe…
You’ll need: For the pasta dough
- 350g of pasta or semolina flour
- 3 fresh eggs
- Salt
- and a tiny bit of water… ( The dough should remain strong)
How To:
Mix the flour and salt together, then make a well in the middle for the eggs. Start with a whisk from the centre, then use your hands. Add a bit of water, and knead the all thing to hell. Roll in a ball, wrap in cling film and rest for at least two hours…
For the filling:
You’ll Need:
- 2oog of black pudding
- 100g of Cahill’s Porter Cheese
- 12 leaves of fresh spinach
- a small grating of nutmeg
- salt and pepper
- 1 clove of garlic finely chopped
How To:
Pre-heat the oven at 200c and once hot, bake the pudding for 25 minutes. Rinse and chop the spinach, with the garlic and let it reduce. Take the black pudding out of the oven, grate the cheese on top of the spinach, crumble the black pudding on top, and pick up all the big lumps that might remain. Let it cool, let it cool…
My friend Pauric, from the Forge Restaurant lent me his pasta making machine… You can go with it, or if you feel confident enough on the pin, knock yourself out!
For The Dough:
Roll the dough into a super thin strip. Well, as thin as you can. Place a little bundle of the wonderful filling, leaving plenty of room in between. Use a lot of flour, egg wash between the intervals and cover with the other sheet of dough. Cut the ravioli to be with the neat little piece of kit below, and with a spatula, lift them on a waxed paper, full of flour… Make sure you remove the air from the ravioli pockets…
For the Pistou:
Well, Pistou is like pesto without the nuts and cheese. Chop finely the wild garlic ( with some spinach leaves if necessary) a clove of garlic and salt. An old tip, salt keeps chlorophyll together ( to remain green)… Just saying. Whiz the whole thing together .
Finely…
In a salted pot of water, and when it is at boiling point, put the ravioli in, gently and for 5 to 7 minutes… Pour a bit of the pistou and enjoy!
Keep well and Eat happy
Slán Tamal,
Franck
Hungry Breton 
I am not a fan of black pudding( hubby is) but these look worth a try..thanks for sharing 🙂
Thank you! It was really delicious; I have spent a long time thinking about it, and I must say that it worked really well. After 12 hours, cooking, taking pictures and typing the story ( slow upload here), it was worth it! 😉
There’s a book, surely? There must be a book! When are you writing the book?
P.S. Did I mention the book?
Haha, thanks Declan; well, there is actually, I just need to get my act together! 😉
Beautiful! The flavors are so delicious and the colors so vibrant!
Thank you; I spent all of Sunday working on it, it was very much worth it 🙂
Now THAT is fusion cooking with kick-ass attitude. Love it 🙂
Thank you Osyth; I am so glad it worked, it was in my head for a few weeks now. (Also a first time making ravioli). Really happy with it.
woah! First raviolis? chapeau m’sieur 🙂
Merci 😀
Beautiful presentation Franck. I love the sly inclusion of the shamrock. I’m posting a ravioli tomorrow too.
Haha, thank you! Ravioli all the way for Paddy’s Day! Yes, I couldn’t resist 🙂 Looking forward to your post!
Stunning! Pasta and black pudding – what’s not to love?!
Thank you! I worked out quite well! Delighted with that one! 🙂
Four words: OUT OF THIS WORLD! that black pudding looks delish
It is Mc Carthy’s from Cork; it won Best Pudding several times. It is very nice indeed. The French Knights of the Black pudding also gave them gold a few years ago 🙂
Good to know, thank you.
You are welcome my friend 🙂
Very different and lovely presentation!
Thank you; it has been my most popular post ever! ( I spent 12 hours on the whole thing to be honest) 😉
Wow!
Pistou is very niçois, thanks for honoring my region lol!
At the beginning of your post, you wrote “I loved it, I was me again! Back home, I was lonely, I missed the hills, the red deers, the ocean, the solitude and the social aptitude…” . This description is exactly how I feel now that I have come back from expatriation. When I traveled back to China last year (after 7 years without setting foot again there), like you I felt I was me again! But now again, I miss the original skyscrapers, the funny crowds, the feeling of safety, and what you call the social aptitude, this especially is so true! Well, nice post from last year, I’m glad I’ve read it again today 🙂
You are so sweet, thank you Sophie. It is quite true; we are meant to be in some places I guess. I worked with an Italian guy once who told me that he felt he was born in the wrong country… Powerful stuff!
Yeah… everyone everywhere calls me Sophie la Chinoise 😉 Sophie who? La Chinoise. Ah, ok. That is to say… and I love it of course!
“….( I spent 12 hours on the whole thing to be honest) 😉 ….”
I wonder if that includes the preparation and the looking for a shamrock. Thank you for making my mouth water (and my eyes as well)
☘️
Looking for the shamrock was the easy part… Yes, preps and pictures etc 😉 Thank you!
Did you know that I went to an irish school!!?? I loved St. Patricks day while growing up because it was a great festivity and we celebrated Mary Ward and oh well… ya know them irish nuns! Wonderful ravioli too!
Wow, no way? Was it in the US? Here was a very cold St Patrick’s Day… No sign of Spring yet 😦