Egg Pasta

1. In a KitchenAid or similar mixer combine the flour and salt. Add eggs, yolks, and oil and run the machine until the dough holds together. If dough looks dry, add another teaspoon olive oil. If dough looks wet, add a little flour until dough is tacky and elastic.
2. Dump dough onto a work surface and knead briefly until very smooth. Wrap in plastic and rest at room temperature for 40 minutes.
3. Cut the dough into 4 pieces, keeping them covered with plastic wrap or a dishtowel when not in use. Using a pasta roller, set to the thickest (widest) setting, roll one piece of dough out onto a sheet. Fold the sheet in thirds like a letter and pass it through the machine 2 more times on the same setting.
4. Reduce the setting, and repeat rolling and folding the dough, passing it through the machine until you reach the “number 2” thickness.
5. Cut the pasta into desired size for the raviolis. Place cut pasta on a flour-dusted sheet tray and cover with a dishtowel while rolling and cutting the remaining dough. Make sure to sprinkle flour over the cut pasta before you place another layer on top.

Asparagus Ravioli Filling

1. Bring a medium pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat. Have ready a bowl of ice water to shock the asparagus to stop the cooking process. Boil the asparagus tips until tender but still bright green, about 2 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer to the ice water. When cool, transfer with the slotted spoon to a small bowl and set aside. In a food processor (or by hand), chop the asparagus very finely and transfer to a medium bowl. Add the cream cheese, Parmesan, and garlic to the chopped asparagus; mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
2. For the ravioli: Arrange your cut pasta on a work surface. Put 1 level tablespoon of the asparagus filling in the center of each piece of dough. Using a spray bottle, moisten the edges of each with water. Top each with another piece of pasta and press the edges firmly to seal, expelling any air bubbles as you seal. If you don’t plan to cook the ravioli immediately, cover them with a damp cloth or freeze until ready to use.

Preserved Lemon Vinaigrette

1. Combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl with a whisk. The honey and Dijon should emulsify the vinaigrette but you will need to mix before serving. Feel free to adjust the dressing with salt and pepper and maybe some additional honey if needed.

1. Start by roasting the eggplant in the oven. Simply rinse them, poke a few holes in each, and bake at 375 degrees for around 45 minutes or until they are soft to the touch. Remember to poke holes in the eggplants, otherwise there is a very good chance that the eggplants will explode in the oven, or worse, explode when you go to handle them. This has happened to me, so please be careful!
2. Another thing to remember is when checking the eggplant for being done, examine the part of eggplant closest to the stem, as this is the toughest area, but also has some of the best pulp when baked thoroughly.
3. After baking, let eggplant cool for about 20 minutes. Then slice eggplant lengthwise and use a spoon to scoop out the pulp (including the seeds). Then smoke eggplant pulp over applewood chips for around 30 minutes. Use a small amount of chips, as a little goes a long way here.
4. You can do this, as B52 does, on a stovetop. Use a covered perforated pan insert, like a steamer basket and pot, and position the pulp on one side of the insert so the drippings do not extinguish the chips below. You can make an aluminum-foil basket to hold the chips in your pot, which should sit on the bottom of the pot directly over the heat. (Obviously be careful here – please do not start a bonfire on your stovetop).
5. The next step is to chop the eggplant pulp on a cutting board. It’s super important to do this by hand, otherwise the texture will not be right. You want it to remain a bit chunky. After chopping, add the remaining ingredients.