Meat and Pear Open Ravioli

tweaks: You could certainly play with the combination of meats used here, but I'd suggest making the dish as written first.

Ingredients

serves serves 4, active time 30 minutes, total time 30 minutes

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 ounces (60g) pancetta or bacon, diced
• 1 sweet sausage
• 4 ounces (115 g) roast beef, thinly sliced then cut into strips
• 1 large pear, thinly sliced with peel left on
• 2 tablespoons golden raisins
• 3 to 4 small fresh sage leaves
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 pound (455 g) calamarata or other tube pasta, preferably Garofalo
• Zest of 1/2 lemon
• Grana padano or other aged cheese
• Ground cinnamon
• Freshly ground nutmeg
• Minced fresh parsley
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 to 3 amaretti cookies, crushed, optional

Procedures

1. In a large skillet over medium high heat, add the pancetta and cook until crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove the sausage from the casing and crumble it into the pan; cook until browned. Add the beef, pear, raisins, garlic and sage. Cook the mixture until the pears are soft.
   
2. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in salted water until it is almost al dente. Drain and toss into the sauce along with a few tablespoons of the cooking liquid. Stir well and cook, adding more cooking liquid, if needed, until the pasta is al dente. Stir in the zest and season with grated cheese, cinnamon, nutmeg, and parsley to taste. Season with salt and pepper and serve the pasta topped with a sprinkling of amaretti crumbs.