Yo! Vizag Throwback: When MasterChef Telugu Judge Mahesh Padala shared his favourite dish

One of the most renowned chefs in Vizag, Chef Padala Mahesh, has taken the next step, in his cooking journey, as a judge in the reality show MasterChef India – Telugu. 

A while back, Chef Padala got in touch with Yo! Vizag and explored his life as a chef in the city and shared his favourite recipe. Being someone who loves Italian food, as much as any other cuisine, Chef Padala’s favourite recipe is Pumpkin Ravioli with Tomato Emulsion and Basil Foam. 

Here’s all you need to make this delicious Italian recipe by this Vizag chef at home:

For stuffing

• 200 grams of roasted pumpkin mash
•  25 ml of olive oil
• 100 grams of ricotta cheese
• 1 tablespoon garlic
• Salt (as per taste)
• Half tablespoon of black pepper

For pasta dough

• 500 grams of pasta flour
• 20 egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 grams of salt

For sauce

• 300 grams of tomatoes\
• 6-8 garlic chips
• 3-4 basil leaves
• 25 ml of olive oil
• 75 grams of butter
• Salt (as per taste)
• Half tablespoon of black pepper powder
• Chopped parsley

Here’s how to cook a Pumpkin Ravioli with Tomato Emulsion and Basil Foam:

#1 Heat a pan with olive oil, sauté garlic, add the roasted pumpkin mash and cook for a while. Add salt, black pepper, ricotta cheese and keep aside. 

#2 Make a soft pasta dough with the mentioned ingredients, and keep aside for 10 mins. 

#3 On a floured surface, roll out the pasta as thin as possible. Cut into 2 sheets and brush one of them with egg wash (or dilute the water with refined flour into a thick batter and apply instead of egg wash). Using a teaspoon, place 24 equal mounds of the pumpkin ricotta mixture on the egg-washed dough, about 2 inches apart. Cover the mounded dough with the second sheet of pasta and press around the mounds to seal the dough. 

#4 Using a ravioli cutter or a sharp knife cut the ravioli into the desired shape. Dust a tray with semolina and place the 24 ravioli on it. 

#5 Bring a large pot of water to a boil while you make the sauce. 

#6 For the sauce, blanch tomatoes, remove the skin and seeds and chop them roughly. 

#7 Heat olive oil in a pan, add chopped garlic, sauté well, add the chopped tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes. 

#8 Add 1 cup of stock, season it if required and blend it in a blender. Add the ravioli to rapidly boiling water and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain. Add the ravioli to the blended sauce and bring just to a boil. Adjust the seasonings to suit taste. 

#9 Add fresh basil and garnish with shaved parmesan, roasted pumpkin cubes, cherry tomatoes, basil foam and drizzle some olive oil on top. 

For roasted pumpkin: Marinate the pumpkin with salt, crushed black pepper, olive and rosemary. Roast in the oven for 14 minutes at 200°C. 

For basil foam: Boil water along with a bunch of basil for 45 seconds. Remove basil, add lecithin and blend it with a hand blender. 

Tip: You can replace the egg yolks from pasta dough with lukewarm water.

MasterChef India- Telugu Season 1 telecasts on Gemini TV and Sun NXT. You can catch this Vizag chef in action every Friday and Saturday at 8:30 PM. The show has seen a fair amount of representation from Vizag as well, with 3 contestants from the coastal city..