Spinach Ricotta Ravioli

Servings: 8
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Prep Time: 35 minutes
Ready In: 1 hour & 10 minutes

Ingredients:
For bestresults use fresh pasta.

For the spinach and ricotta filling:
1/2 cup (150g) of spinach, cooked and squeezed dry
1.2 cup (300g) of ricotta, drained if very wet
4.8 tbsp (30g) of Parmesan, finely grated
Nutmeg, freshly grated
Salt and pepper

To serve:
1. Butter, sage and pine nuts sauce or classic tomato sauce, grated Parmesan or pecorino.

Directions:
1. Remove the pasta from the fridge and roll it out, a little at a time (or it will dry out) to a thickness of about 1mm or using the last setting on a pasta machine. Lightly dust the work surface, the pasta and the rolling pin with flour to prevent it sticking. Cut long lengths in half for ease of handling.

2. If you are using a pasta machine, dust the underside only, not on top, which needs to stick to another piece of dough.

3. Place heaped teaspoons of stuffing onto one of the lengths of pasta, spacing them wide-enough apart to allow for the shape you want to cut but not so much that you waste pasta. Aim for around 2cm between the mound of stuffing and the edge of the ravioli.

4. Lay the second piece face down (with the non-floured side downward) over the stuffing and press gently around each mound to expel the air. You can either do this mound by mound to make individual ravioli at a time by placing a longer top sheet of pasta over the base sheet containing the mounds of stuffing.

5. Now cut the pasta into ravioli using the cutter or a glass, or make square shapes using a pastry wheel.

6. Put the ravioli on a floured tray (dust with a little semolina flour, if you have any), spaced apart in a single layer. Set aside until ready to use but for no longer than an hour or they will stick to the surface. If you need to make them in advance, you can either freeze them at this stage or par-cook them and toss them in oil.

7. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the ravioli for 3€5 minutes or until the pasta is al dente, then drain through a colander. Add the pasta to the sauce in the frying pan and gently toss or stir to combine pasta and sauce. Serve on warmed plates sprinkled with grated Parmesan.