Ravioli Butter and Sage

Ravioli

Servings: 3

 

Ingredients

For the ravioli
200 grams of durum flour (1 1/8 cup) or all purpose flour (1 2/3 cup)
2 medium eggs
Half a cup of water (if needed for the dough)
200 grams (3/4 of a cup) of fresh ricotta (sheep or cow) in a large bowl together with
200 grams (1 cup) of already steamed, squeezed and finely chopped spinach or Swiss chard
Salt and pepper
nutmeg to grate on the ricotta cheese (if you like)

 

Options:

For the dough you can omit the egg: It will be 200 grams (1 1/8 cup) durum wheat flour or all purpose (1 2/3 cup),  and 100 to 120 grams (about 1/2 cup) of water. 

For the gluten free option here are a couple of brands that some ladies found good for pasta and gnocchi making: Cup4Cup, Bob's Red Mill 1to 1, and King Arthur Gluten Free Flour Measure for Measure. We have none of these brands in Italy, just reporting what others used and were satisfied with.

Butter and sage sauce

50 grams (4 tablespoons) of butter (or extra virgin olive oil) 

A sprig of sage leaves

Salt and pepper

 

Tools
A wooden cutting board or a smooth surface to knead and spread the dough. A rolling pin, a pasta cutter or a knife, a fork, a pan for the sauce, a pot to cook the pasta, a spoon to stir.

 

 

Instructions:

Pour the flour on a board and make a hole in the middle, big enough to fit the eggs in.

Crack the eggs and gently mix with a fork, adding a little flour at a time. Leave the flour around and when you have incorporated half of the flour to the eggs start mixing and folding with your fingers. 

Knead the dough using the palm of your hands to push forward and the fingers to fold it back. Turn and keep kneading the dough until all the flour on the board has been incorporated and the dough is smooth.

Cover your dough with plastic wrap and leave it to rest for about 1 hour.

In the meantime mix the ingredients for your filling, dusting with a pinch of grated nutmeg, a pinch of salt and if you wish a sprinkle of black pepper. Cover and leave the mix to the side.

Put the dough on your board (or on a smooth surface) and stretch it with a long rolling pin. It should be the thickness of a page of a book. (If you have a hand pasta machine you can roll up to the number 6 or 7).

Using a tablespoon or a cookie scoop, measure and place each portion of filling in a row along a strip of the shape.

Be careful to leave a finger's space between each portion of filling and leave a 1 inch edge along the entire length of the strip. This will allow you to fold the length and cover all the filling.

Use your fingers to give the covered filling a round shape and to remove air from the inside by pressing gently around it.

Cut lengthwise using a pasta cutter or a knife, and then cut widthwise thus forming the ravioli shapes.

Put a large pot half-filled with water on medium heat. As soon as the water boils, throw in a teaspoon of salt and the prepared ravioli. They will cook in a couple of minutes after the water boils again. 

While the ravioli are cooking, prepare a large pan and add the ingredients for the sauce with a pinch of salt and a dash of black pepper.
Put the pan on medium heat to melt the butter (it should not be fried) and add a small ladle of the pasta cooking water. The sage will soon release its aroma. 

Drain the cooked ravioli and add them to the pan to flavor with the sauce.
Sprinkle generously with Parmesan and serve hot.