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SPINACH AND RICOTTA RAVIOLI

Making ravioli at home using a pasta machine is time consuming but incredibly rewarding, especially when you choose a filling that you enjoy.   These ravioli make a gorgeous vegetarian dish or can be served with Deep fried pork loin sandwich with a spicy sauce.

RAVIOLI

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the filling:
1 tablespoon/15 ml olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
225 g/8 oz Swiss chard, finely chopped
250 ml/1 cup ricotta (make your own)
3 tablespoons/45 ml pine nuts, toasted
4 tablespoons/60 ml Parmesan cheese, finely grated
extra Parmesan cheese for serving

For the ravioli:
See recipe for fresh pasta.

  • To make the filling, heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat and add the garlic and the spinach and cook until the stalks of the chard is almost soft.  Remove from the heat and drain.
  • When cool enough squeeze as much of the liquid as possible out of the chard.
  • Add to a food processor with all the other ingredients and pulse until everything is reasonably fine but still with some texture.  Set aside until ready to use.
  • To make the ravioli, bring the pasta dough up to room temperature and then divide it in two.
  • Roll both the pieces of pasta out to the second narrowest setting. Dust the counter with flour and lay out the two long sheets of pasta next to each other.
  • Spoon about 1 tablespoon/15 ml of the filling 50 mm/2 in apart on the  one sheet and repeat until you reach the end of the pasta sheet.
  • Brush all round the fillings with water, then lay the other sheet of pasta on top of the filling portions.
  • You might have to stretch the pasta a little bit to meet the other edge.
  • Press down around the filling to press out any air and then, using the blunt end of a pastry cutter, just big enough to fit over the filling, to gently press down on the pasta to make sure that the filling is “locked” in.  Then, with a slightly bigger cutter, cut the ravioli.
    The ravioli can be cooked straight away or stored on a sheet pan dusted with fine semolina for up to two hours. You can also freeze them at this stage and then cook them from frozen when you are ready.
  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.
  • Add the ravioli, and cook until for about 4 minutes or until they rise to the surface of the water.
  • Using a slotted spoon, transfer the ravioli to serving bowls.  Sprinkle liberally with Parmesan and serve immediately.
  • This ravioli can be served as a vegetarian dish or with Deep fried pork loin sandwich with a spicy sauce.
STELLA's avatar

By STELLA

I have had no formal chef’s training. Classical piano was my parents’ choice, and that took care of the first 20 years of my life. Journalism and radio followed (my own choices, this time), and these opened many doors for me into different countries, people, cultures — and, of course, foods. In a six week series on radio I used it as a platform for my love of food and shared lots of interesting recipes and food news with listeners.
My earliest memories of food come from the family kitchen at home; I can still remember the wonderful smells of the dishes my mother prepared. I became aware of the flavors of her creations at an early age. Some I enjoyed and preferred, while others depressed me with their lack of interesting flavors. My mother was a good cook, but not a gourmet, and sadly this often showed. What I did appreciate was that she always involved me in the preparation, sharing her knowledge of nutrition, flavor, color, and the harmonies of each plate she dished up. She was also a genius with leftovers and quick meals when unexpected guests arrived. This is one of the things that stands out in my mind, and it inspired me to create wonderful dishes from leftover foods myself.

I carried on with the tradition of carefully planning meals to combine nutrition, color and flavor, while at the same time offering variety and elegant presentation. In the process, I developed a passion for seeking out the best available products, adhering to each season’s offerings, and treating it with the respect it deserves, which eventually became part of my daily culinary life and travels. I did these things not because I wanted to become a chef, but to satisfy myself, family and friends with creations of gorgeous food and exciting flavors. All of which, I hope, is reflected in this blog.

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