Seeing as I am currently facing a daily and uphill struggle to cram my saturated-sponge-like brain with even more English-degree related information, it is only natural that I have also been thinking about things completely unliterary. In a word, getting distracted. I figure distractions are necessary though, otherwise I would actually go mad and wouldn't be able to have a normal conversation with anyone without dropping in a reference to how Philip Sidney's Defence of Poesie is all a large attempt to reconfigure the reputation of poetry as something masculine and thereby lament the decline of opportunities for martial prowess in the increasingly effeminate and inactive Elizabethan court.

See - I'm learning.

So since my darling mother bought me a pasta machine for Easter, I have been distracting myself by contemplating ravioli fillings that would work. As one does, you know - I might be cycling along and suddenly have a wild-mushroom-related inspiration...or cross the street and start formulating a blue cheese sauce.

I think my finals are doomed. And possibly my social life too.

So this is more of a "note to self" post than anything else so that next time I have a whim (ha...not really a whim when it takes several hours of hard labour) to make pasta, I can just be super-organised and look at my list of things to try...

Stuffed with spinach and bacon and served with a gorgonzola and cream sauce, with lots of black pepper, nutmeg and parmesan, and chopped walnuts on top
Stuffed with butternut squash, stilton, walnuts, parmesan, egg yolk, basil, and served with butter and sage sauce (have tried this, it was sublime - see left)
Stuffed with sausagemeat, tomato and fennel seeds and served with a garlicky tomato sauce and parmesan, or with a sage and butter sauce (had a variation of this in Bergamo in Italy and it was one of the best meals ever)
Stuffed with baked salmon, creme fraiche, peas, lemon and dill
Stuffed with braised venison with a chocolate and red wine sauce (sounds odd, but I reckon it could work - reduce the braising liquid from the venison, add some grated very dark chocolate...yum...must try this one soon)
Stuffed with chopped chorizo and tomato and either smoked cheese or halloumi
Stuffed with shredded duck leg and raisins with a mascarpone and marsala sauce
Stuffed with a sort of pork bolognaise sauce - pork cooked with bay leaves, lemon zest, nutmeg/cinnamon, white wine and dried apple.
Stuffed with roasted red peppers, goats cheese and pine nuts and served with caramelised onions on top (I reckon my boyfriend would like this one)

Oh and another note to self - basic pasta dough recipe.

225g plain flour (or the coveted 'Tipo 00' if I can find it)
2 eggs and 1 egg yolk
Tsp salt
Tbsp olive oil
Tsp water

That makes enough dough for about 4 people.