Ravioli Di Spinaci E Ricotta - ASKItalian &#respectthepasta

Its that time again! For my Ask Italian #respectthepasta challenge this fortnight I’ve created fresh pasta! Ravioli and I’ve tried it gluten free too! I’ve created their Ravioli Spinach & Ricotta. It takes incredible! By far better than any you can buy in the shops. I’m going to freezing it too and see how it works out – stay tuned for that!

Ingredients

For the filling

 

45ml extra virgin olive oil

100g baby spinach

180g ricotta

80g Parmesan

Pinch of dried ground marjoram

Pinch of dried oregano

Pinch of freshly ground nutmeg

30g soft white breadcrumbs

Freshly ground sea salt and black pepper

For the pasta

3 large eggs

250g ’00′ or strong flour (I used Gluten Free strong white flour)

50g fine semolina flour

If gluten freeing use Isabels gluten free baking mix!

For the sauce

30g unsalted butter

115g garden peas

12 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped

60ml dry white wine

230g crème fraîche

100ml hot pasta cooking water

freshly grated nutmeg

60g baby spinach leaves

freshly ground sea salt and black pepper

Recipe

First make the filling (makes approximately 400g – 40 ravioli)

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a saucepan over a low heat. Add the spinach leaves & wilt slowly, stirring, for 2-3 minutes. Season lightly with salt & pepper. Allow to cool & chopping finely.

In a large bowl, combine the chopped spinach, ricotta, parmesan, & remaining olive oil. Stir in the marjoram, oregano and nutmeg. Mix well. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper as needed. Add the breadcrumbs, stirring to combine all the ingredients (the filling will keep; for a day in the fridge if making in advance)

Pasta

Place all the ingredients into the bowl of a food processor, pulse until a ball of dough is formed. It should feel smooth to the touch, firm but with a slightly sticky texture. If the dough feels too moist, add another spoonful of flour. Remove the dough & divide into 2 balls. Cover them with clingfilm. The dough can be refrigerated and will keep for up to 10 days.

Set the rollers of your pasta machine at their widest setting. Pass the dough through the machine as you turn the handle. Fold the pasta in three. Give the roller setting one quarter turn to narrow the rollers and pass the dough through the machine again, then fold in three again. Repeat at least 3 more times, narrowing the rollers each time. By now the glutens (or the mix) in the flour will have been kneaded and will be elastic. Continue until it is as thin as you feel happy with (slightly thicker for the GF versions) producing no longer than 60 cm lengths.

Sprinkle the board with semolina flour. Drop small teaspoonfuls of filling along the length of the pasta, about 4cm apart, brush around & between them with water, then fold the pasta sheet over on to itself and press round to push out the air and seal, cut with a sharp knife, cookie cutter or a pastry cutter to cut out the separate ravioli.

Allow the ravioli to dry for 30 minutes on a board sprinkled with a little semolina flour before cooking. Turn occasionally so they dry on both sides.

The sauce

Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the peas and chopped basil and cook for a minute over a low hear. Stir in the wine, turn up the heat and cook until the wine has evaporated.

Add the crème fraîche and the hot pasta cooking water, mixing well. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste. 

Lower the heat, add the baby spinach and cook gently until it wilts.

When you have added the spinach to the sauce, drop the ravioli into the pan of boiling water for 3-4 minutes. Remove from the water using a slotted spoon and delicately stir the ravioli into the pea sauce.

Cook for 1-2 minutes more. Divide the ravioli between warmed serving bowls, spooning over any extra sauce.

Disclosure: We were sent the ASK Italian Cookbook and some cooking materials.