Ravioli with Ricotta and Hazelnut Filling in Green Herb Sauce

The pasts machine got another workout last night.  Without trying to sound too ego filled, this is possibly the best pasta dough I have made yet ... my Granny was right, if at first you don't succeed try, try, try again!  While the pasts dough may have been a triumph, the ravioli filling can not really be labeled in the same way ... unfortunately!  Its a shame really, it sounded so nice on paper, but in real life it was a touch bland.  I think next time I'd maybe bump up the amount of garlic and maybe even include some Parmesan or blue cheese to the mix.  Other than that though, this was loads of fun to make and I put the scraps of dough to good use and made spaghetti from it, which I dried overnight and will use in tonight's dinner.  Bonus!

Ravioli with Ricotta and Hazelnut Filling in Green Herb Sauce
1 quantity homemade basic pasta dough (see recipe below, I used my regular pasta dough recipe though)
225g ricotta cheese
1 garlic clove, crushed
120g skinned hazelnuts, grated (or lightly whizzed in the food processor)
1 egg, beaten
150ml single cream
6 tbsp chopped mixed fresh herbs (chives, parsley and dill are good)

Make the pasta dough as described below, then roll out as thinly as you can into long pieces and place on a lightly floured surface.

Mix the ricotta, garlic, nuts and seasoning to taste. Place small mounds of the ricotta mixture about 3cm apart on half the pieces of pasta, brushing around each mound with beaten egg. Cover with the rest of the pasta, pressing down around the edges to try and exclude as much air as possible. Cut between the mounds with a sharp knife or pastry wheel.

Put the ravioli on a lightly floured surface and leave to dry for 30 mins. Drop them into a large saucepan of boiling salted water and cook for 4-6 mins.

Meanwhile, heat the cream and herbs in a small pan, then pour over the drained ravioli and serve.

Serves 4
Good Food, Aug 10

Basic Pasta Dough
200g plain flour (wholemeal, wheatmeal, unbleached white or a mixture. Bread flour made from hard wheat is best)
½ tsp salt
2 eggs (size 3 or large)

Put the flour and salt into a bowl and crack in the eggs. Using your hands, mix the flour, little by little, into the egg until you have a fairly smooth dough.

Set the rollers of your pasta machine to their widest position. Take a piece of pasta dough about the size of an egg, flatten it roughly with your hands, then feed it through the rollers. Fold the piece of dough into three, then feed it through again. Do this six or seven times, until the dough is smooth and pliable, then put aside and repeat the process with the rest of the dough, keeping the pieces in the right order.

Next, tighten the rollers a notch and feed the pieces of pasta through again, once only this time, and without folding. Repeat three times, tightening the rollers a notch each time. Cut the pasta pieces in half if they become too long to handle, and support them as they come through the machine so that they don’t fall in folds and stick together.

Serves 4-6
Good Food, Aug 10