Ricotta and hazelnut ravioli: another tip from grandma

When the Bearded Argentinian was a young clean-shaven Porteño, he spent most Sundays at his Grandma's house, preparing dinner with the rest of the family. As children, they were allowed to help make the fresh pasta, filing ravioli, cutting the shapes and sealing them with little fingers or a fork. Using her book to make empanadas last week reminded me that fresh pasta ravioli is another classic to share. And, unlike the elusive empanada pastries, absolutely everything in this recipe is easy to get hold of...

The pasta dough recipe is adapted from Grandma's book La Cocina de Lorenzo Taberna (on the right in the photo below) with some help from Antonio Carluccio's Vegetables (on the left). The filling is mainly from memory, with some help from Google.

You can double up the quantities below and freeze the ravioli once constructed but before cooking.

Ingredients

(Serves 2) 

For the pasta dough

200g Italian 00 flour

2 large eggs

Pinch of salt

For the filling

250g ricotta

125g Parmesan, finely grated

1 tbsp flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

1 spring onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup walnuts, very finely chopped, or blitzed to breadcrumb size

1 large egg

Salt, pepper and a grating of nutmeg

Method

1. To make the pasta dough, sift the flour into a mound on the worktop and mix in the salt. Make a well in the flour and crack in the eggs. Mix together with your hands into a thick paste, then bring together into a dough, adding a little water if needed. 

 

2. Knead the dough for 10-15 minutes until smooth and elastic. Wrap in cling film and chill for 30 minutes.

3. Make the filling my combining all the ingredients, adding the egg last and beating in. Season to taste.

4. Divide the pasta dough in two, and roll each piece out on a lightly floured surface as thin as possible, aiming for about 5mm thick. If you have a pasta machine, lucky you, otherwise just keep rolling in different directions to get an even thickness.

5. Place a teaspoon of filling at regular intervals along the dough, leaving about 1cm border around each lump, and brush this border with water. Complete a row, then cover with a strip of pasta dough and press the dough together around each filling, squeezing any air out. NB Children can help with these filling, shaping and sealing steps as demonstrated below by the Bearded Argentinian (in case you thought my hands suddenly got very hairy):

If you have some filling leftover, freeze for next time.

6. Cut the pasta into raviolis using a serrated pasta cutter if you have one (I used a pizza wheel...)

6. Press the edges together - using a fork makes a good seal and looks pretty if you don't have a serrated cutter. Leave the ravioli to rest for 10-15 minutes under a clean tea towel.

7. Cook the ravioli in boiling water for 5 minutes, until the sealed edges are al dente 

These little parcels are so tasty that I don't think you need a sauce. We drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkled with grated parmesan, snipped chives and a few chilli flakes.

Buenisimo!