A delicious summer Ravioli, filled with Ricotta, garden Fennel & Lemon. Serve with a Lemo Butter Sauce. Serves 4-6 people, depending on their appetite.
Prep Time35 minutesmins
Cook Time8 minutesmins
Resting time30 minutesmins
Course: Lunch/Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 5
Equipment
pasta machine + 6cm round cutter
Ingredients
Pasta Dough
400g’00’ pasta flour
4large free-range eggs
Filling
275gricotta
45gParmesangrated
1lemonzest of
fennel frondsa good handful, chopped
Sauce
1lemonjuice of
100gunsalted butter
fine sea salt and black pepper
pasta water
Instructions
Begin with the pasta dough. On a clean work surface create a mound of flour with a well and crack the eggs in the centre. Using the tips of your fingers, mix the eggs with the flour, incorporating a little at a time, until everything is combined. The dough gradually comes, transforming from a rough amalgamation into a smooth and elastic ball. This takes a little time and effort. Kneading and working the dough develops the gluten in the flour. This will give you lovely, springy pasta that once cooked, will be al dente. It is essential to place the dough in a freezer bag and rest for no less than 30 minutes. The dough will keep in the fridge for up to 7 days.
In the meantime make the filling: drain the liquid from the ricotta, then tip into a bowl. Add the lemon zest, Parmesan and fennel. Add a good grind of pepper and a little salt. Cover and store in the fridge until needed.
With the rollers of the pasta machine on its widest setting, pass a small piece of dough through, then fold it into 3. Give it a quarter turn and pass it through the machine again. Repeat this 5 or 6 times so the gluten in the pasta is thoroughly worked, then pass it through the machine to roll it out, progressively narrowing the rollers by one notch each time. Make it as thin as you feel comfortable with. I like setting #6 for ravioli. The more the pasta has been worked initially, the thinner you will be able to roll it. Make sure the pasta sheet is no more than 60cm long though, otherwise it will be difficult to handle and may break.
Using a 6 cm round cutter, stamp the rounds. on half of the disc add approximately 15g of the filling. Brush the edges with a little water. Place another disc on the top and seal, making sure there is no air in the ravioli. Repeat with the remainder. Dust a little semolina flour on a tray and place the finished ravioli on it. *It's worth noting that you must cook the ravioli on the day of making. If you don’t the pasta will become tacky and stick to the tray it's sitting on.
Once you have made all the ravioli fill a large saucepan with water, add a tablespoon of fine sea salt. Bring to the boil and add as many ravioli that comfortably fits in the pan. Boil for 3 minutes. In a shallow pan or large frying pan melt the butter, heat until it just begins to foam, add the lemon juice and 2-3 tablespoons of the pasta water. Bring to a simmer. Stir vigorously with a whisk until it emulsifies. Check the seasoning. Add the ravioli and coat in the lemon sauce. Gently stir to combine, then serve immediately with a little more Parmesan and black pepper. Decorate with fennel and edible petals if you wish.
Notes
*If you don’t want to eat the pasta on the same day, simply boil in salted water for 60-90 seconds then plunge into cold water. Drain and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.