Herb and ricotta ravioli

Serve with dry white vermouth 

Notes: Making fresh pasta requires a pasta machine. If you don’t have one, you can hydrate 500g of lasagna sheets in cold water for the cheat’s version. Simply take them out when pliable and skip down this recipe to making the filling.

Ingredients

For the Pasta:

• 4 eggs
• 400g of 00 flour
• 10ml water
• 1 pinch salt

For the filling:

• 300g of ricotta
• 150g of vegetarian Parmesan, grated
• 50g washed and chopped herbs (basil, parsley, chives, oregano)
• 1 knob of butter, melted
• 1 egg
• 1 pinch of grated nutmeg

To garnish:

• A little grated vegetarian Parmesan and truffle oil

 Serve with a green side salad

Method

If you have a pasta machine, here’s how to make the Pasta:

Mix together the eggs, flour and a pinch of salt in a large bowl. Add a little water, stirring in a small spoonful at a time until the mixture comes together to form a dough (take care not to add too much water).

Knead the dough on a clean, dry surface until it becomes smooth. Folding it in half and pushing it firmly together is the best way to do this. Wrap in cling film and leave in the fridge to rest for at least 30 minutes.

Making the Filling:

Mix all the filling ingredients together and season to taste.

Making the ravioli:

If you have a pasta machine, remove the rested dough from the fridge, cut in half and roll each half through the machine, starting at the largest setting and working to the smallest until you have two long, thin sheets.

Spoon 1tbsp mounds of filling down the length of one of the sheets, leaving a 4cm gap between each one. Place the second sheet on top of the first, being careful to push any air out from between the second sheet and the filling, so the second sheet is flush to the filling. 

If you’re using hydrated lasagna sheets, simply place 2 1tbsp mounds 4cm apart per sheet, and then place a second sheet on top, noting the above instructions. 

Use either a pasta cutting wheel or knife to cut out each ravioli and check the edges, using a little water to seal if required. Repeat until all of the filling and pasta is used up, and make sure all the ravioli are sealed at the edges.

Cooking the ravioli:

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil, then add the ravioli and cook for 2–3 minutes. Drain carefully, then transfer to a frying pan with a little melted butter and cook for a further minute until tender and golden brown.

To serve, sprinkle over a generous serving of freshly shaved Parmesan and truffle and serve with a fresh green salad.