Jason Travi
LA TERZA | Los Angeles
Jason Travi knew he was destined to be a chef from an early age.
Growing up in a small town in New England, Travi was raised with
the influence of two generations of chefs in the family. Starting
his career as a dishwasher in his teens, he learned the staples
of Italian-American cuisine and kitchen prep. After graduating from
the Culinary Institute of America, Travi was inspired to leave life
in New England and move to Los Angeles, where he trained to master
large-scale fine dining under Wolfgang Puck. After a few intense
years at Granita and Spago, Travi took an opportunity
as executive chef at Opaline before moving on to La
Terza, Gino Angelini’s casually elegant Italian eatery.
At La Terza, Travi worked his culinary foundation into
the rustic menu, featuring richly flavored meat dishes intensified
by the wood-burning rotisserie grill. Travi recently departed from
the La Terza kitchen and is pursuing the next step in his
bright culinary career. His ultimate goal is to open his own restaurant
with his wife, pastry chef Miho Travi.
Chestnut Ravioli with Sage Brown Butter
Chef Jason Travi of La Terza - Los Angeles, CA
Adapted by StarChefs.com
Yield: 5 Servings
Ingredients:
Chestnut Filling:
- 20 chestnuts, roasted and shelled
- 3 Tablespoons butter
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground clove
- 1 cup ruby port
- 2 cups mushroom stock
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- Salt and white pepper, to taste
Ravioli Dough:
- 7 eggs
- 10½ ounces semolina flour, plus additional for dusting
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- Pinch of salt
Sage Brown Butter:
- 10 Tablespoons butter
- 5 sage leaves, finely sliced
- Salt to taste
Method:
For Chestnut Filling:
Slice the shelled chestnuts. In a heavy-bottomed pot, melt the butter.
Add the chestnuts to the butter and caramelize over medium heat.
Add the ground spices to the pot and let them toast for a few seconds.
Add the port and deglaze the pot. Cover the pot and over low heat
continue to cook the chestnuts. Stir often to prevent the chestnuts
from burning. When the port is absorbed by the chestnuts, add the
stock and repeat the procedure as with the port. Once the stock
is absorbed, add the cream. When the cream is reduced by half, the
chestnuts should be very tender and almost falling apart. Pass the
mixture through a ricer or puree in a food processor. Season to
taste with salt and pepper. Let the mixture cool.
For Ravioli Dough:
Make an egg wash by beating 1 egg and mixing it with a splash of
water; set aside.
Using an electric mixer with a hook attachment, mix all remaining
ingredients thoroughly until the dough forms into a ball. Wrap the
dough tightly in plastic and allow to rest, covered, for at least
30 minutes.
Remove the plastic, and pull the dough through a pasta machine
on the first or finest setting. Pull the dough through the machine
several times to knead, dusting frequently with additional flour,
to 1/16-inch thickness.
Spread the pasta sheet onto a flat surface. Place a teaspoon of
the ravioli filling spaced 1½ inches apart on the bottom
half of the pasta sheet. Use a pastry brush to spread the egg wash
lightly around the mounds of filling. Fold the top half of the pasta
sheet down over the bottom. Use a pasta wheel to cut out each individual,
postage-stamp size ravioli (known as francoboli). Firmly
seal each piece with your fingertips, making sure to press out any
air caught inside.
In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the raviolis for 3-4
minutes and strain.
For Sage Brown Butter:
In a small saucepan melt butter with sage; cook until butter turns
a light brown, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt.
Arrange ravioli on serving plates and drizzle with sage butter.
Wine Pairing:
Grenache, Havens 'Cave Dog,' Napa Valley, California, 2004
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