red lentil ravioli with tomato sauce

* loosely based on a 'bon appétit' september, 2003 recipe

tomato sauce
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 medium shallot, diced
4 garlic cloves, chopped finely
1/2 teaspoon crushed red chili's
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
dash curry powder
1/8 teaspoon chili powder
1 large pinch of saffron threads
2 cups tomatoes, cored & diced, or 1 can whole stewed tomatoes, diced
1/4 skim milk

ravioli
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 vidalia onion, chopped into 1/8" pieces
1/4 cup yellow pepper, chopped into 1/8" pieces
1/4 cup orange pepper, chopped into 1/8" pieces
4 mushroom caps, chopped into 1/8" pieces
2 garlic cloves, chopped finely
1 cup dried red "quick cook" lentils
1 teaspoon paprika
2 3/4 cups homemade or low-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
1 recipe homemade saffron & paprika pasta - rolled out in sheets
1 egg white, beaten to blend

directions:

sauce:
Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until golden, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, crushed chili's, turmeric, curry powder, chili powder and saffron. Stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Mix in tomatoes. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Adding the skim milk to give it a slightly creamy consistency and season with salt and pepper. Set aside until just before serving.

ravioli:
Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until brown, about 8 minutes. Add peppers, mushrooms and garlic; sauté until vegetables begin to color and turn soft, about 7 minutes. Add lentils, and paprika; stir to coat. Add broth and bring to the boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until lentils are almost tender, about 15 minutes (longer if you use don't the quick-cook kind). Uncover and cook until all broth is absorbed, about 20 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and chill until cold, about 30 minutes.

assembling, cooking and serving:
1. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Put one rolled sheet of pasta on counter and place a tablespoon of filling about 2 inches apart in a line in the middle. Brush around each pile of filling with the egg white and top with second sheet. Seal around each, pressing out any air. Cut each into rounds with fluted pastry wheel or cut into squares with a straight cutter. Repeat with remaining pasta and filling. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover tightly and refrigerate.)

2. Re-warm tomato sauce and bring a separate large pot of water to boil. When boiling, generously salt and cook ravioli until just tender but still firm to bite, about 2 minutes. Spoon sauce around ravioli. Top with a small amount of spicy olive oil, freshly grated parmesan and cracked black pepper.

notes: