SPINACH & RICOTTA RAVIOLI
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Recipe type: Pasta
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 6-8 people
Ingredients
  • 1 kg spinach
  • 350 gr fresh ricotta
  • 40 gr pine nuts (lightly toasted)
  • 75 gr parmesan
  • 50 gr cream cheese
  • 2 Tbs olive oil
  • 1 Tbs butter
  • 1 big clove of garlic
  • ¼ tsp grated nutmeg
  • salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Wash and trim the spinach.
  2. Heat the olive oil and fry the garlic, add the spinach and cook for a few minutes until the liquid released is absorbed.
  3. Add in the butter, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
  4. Drain the spinach and roughly chop.
  5. Mix together the ricotta, parmesan, cream cheese and the roughly chopped pine nuts.
  6. Combine the cheese mixture with the spinach, add more salt and pepper if needed. Cover and keep in the fridge.
  7. Divide your pasta into 6-8 pieces and working with one piece at a time keep the rest wrapped until needed.
  8. Flatten the piece of dough in your hand and dust lightly with flour on both sides. Start feeding it through the widest setting of your pasta machine (I use the Kitchenaid pasta roller). Folding and rotating, repeat for a few times on the same setting to smooth the dough.
  9. Change the setting to the narrower one and continue passing through twice on each setting, dusting lightly if it seems to stick to the pasta roller. When you reach the desired thickness (I prefer 5 or 6 on Kitchenaid) place the pasta sheets on a lightly floured surface and cover with a tea towel to prevent from drying.
  10. Once you have your pasta rolled, transfer filling into a pastry bag and start having fun :):)
  11. Don't be intimidated with making of the ravioli and go for a simple shape if you are not experienced. You can make squares, triangles, circles, half moons...using a pasta cutter or even a cookie cutter. When you put the second pasta on top of the filling make sure to press around to exclude any air gaps.
  12. Cook the raviolis for 2-3 minutes in a large pan of boiling, salted water. Serve at once with a simple sage butter and grated parmesan.
Notes
Once I have my raviolis shaped, I place them on a tray lined with baking paper and a little sprinkling of semolina and put in the freezer until solid to the touch. They can then be placed in freezer bags and will keep well for up to 2 months. No need to defrost before cooking.

I also enjoy them served with a simple tomato and basil sauce for a lighter meal.

I always end up with some leftover filling, which I just freeze for later use or make little hand pies using puff pastry squares. If you prefer you can decrease the ingredients by about ¼-1/5.
Recipe by HatiBon English at https://www.hatibon.com/blog/2016/06/spinach-ricotta-ravioli/