I am not that big of a pasta fan to be honest (more a potato girl) and although making it is simple but rather time consuming, I like from time to time making ravioli. And yes because I make it rarely it sometimes goes wrong ( very wrong). So for once and for all, I am showing you how exactly to make it.
Best to use a fork and add one egg at the time and blend in the flour.
Once all the eggs are incorporated, the dough will still be crumbly. Time to get stuck in and kneed the dough till smooth.
Season your cheese filling with pepper, no salt as the cheese is already quite salty. You can add chopped basil or a little lemon zest for extra flavour.
Pack the pasta tightly in clingfilm for it not the dry out. Rest at least for 30 minutes in the fridge.
Start to pass the dough one level at time, from wide to thin. You need a pasta machine, mine is a Jamie Oliver machine ( not paid to post) but plenty of multifunctional kitchen appliances will have a pasta maker. Flour the pasta on both sides before passing it through, no need to flour much the machine.
Stretch the pasta by going through the machine one level at time, but be gentle and careful not to tear it.
Add a teaspoon of filling and leave space in-between. Brush with some water before folding it over so it will act like a glue.
Cut the ravioli in the shape you prefer. Store on baking sheet lined with parchment and dusted with flour. Cover with clingfilm and save in fridge till time to boil to pasta.
Once boiled, add to a non-stick frying pan with some olive oil, lemon thyme and cooking water. Just cook for a few minutes. Serve with toasted pine nuts and olive oil with lemon. Or a simple duding of parmesan cheese.
Good luck and enjoy!
My cheese ravioli
Yield 60 ravioli
Ingredients
- 600 gr 00 flour + some for dusting
- 60 gr semolina
- 6 eggs
- splash olive oil
- 120 gr percorino, grated
- 120 gr mascarpone
- 60 gr Parmesan, grated
- 60 gr pine nuts, toasted in pan
- bustle lemon thyme
- 20 ml olive oil infused with lemon
Instructions
- Mix in a bowl the flour and semolina, add the eggs one by one with a fork until combined. Tip it out on a floured surface and with floured hands kneed till dough is stretchy and combined. Pack it up in clingfilm and rest in fridge for 30 minutes.
- Mix the mascarpone, pecorino and Parmesan in a bowl, season with pepper and reserve in fridge.
- Install the pasta machine, take 1/4 of the rested dough, flatten it, flour it on both sides and start passing it through the pasta machine largest level ( my machine 7). Fold in half, flour it on both sides and pass it again. Lower the level (6) and pass the pasta, fold in half and pass it again. Lower the level (5) pass the pasta, Lower the level (4) and pass the pasta, lower the level (3) and pass the pasta, Lower the level (2) and pass the pasta. The pasta is now almost see through thin, be careful not to tear it.
- Add a teaspoon of the filling and leave 2 fingers of space between the ravioli. Brush some water over the pasta side and in between the ravioli. Fold shut and press tight around each filling, careful not to tear the pasta. Cut the ravioli. Repeat these steps till all the pasta dough is used.
- Place the ravioli on a baking tray lined w parchment and dusted with flour, cover with clingfilm and place in fridge until time to boil.
- Boil water with some salt, place 5 ravioli in the pan and boil for 5 to 8 minutes.
- In a non stick frying pan heat up olive oil, add the lemon thyme. Delicately remove the cooked ravioli with a flat strainer utensil and place in the frying pan. Add some of the cooking liquid, cook the ravioli for 2 minutes.
- Serve 3 to 4 pieces as a starter or 5 to 6 pieces as main course, add some pine nuts and olive oil with lemon and some lemon zest.
Notes
on www.leeksandhighheels.com by Sandra Slawinski
Written and photographed by Sandra Slawinski without commercial deals. I used my grandmothers vintage plates.
