Ravioli Stuffed with Ricotta - Ravioli di Ricotta - Ravioli with Ricotta Filling

In discussing ravioli, Artusi, the late dean of Italian gastronomes, says that Romagnans, "because the climate requires a very substantial diet, and perhaps because they’re used to hearty food, are as enthusiastic about cooked vegetables as they are about having smoke blown in their eyes," and goes on to suggest that Ravioli di Ricotta are Romagnan. He may be right. In any case, they’re good. To serve 4:

Prep Time: 1 hours, 20 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (250 ml) very fresh ricotta cheese
• 2 tablespoons of grated Parmigiano
• 2 eggs
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1 cup grated Parmigiano
• Several leaves of fresh sage (optional)

Preparation:

Crumble the ricotta in a bowl with a fork, then add the 2 tablespoons of Parmigiano and the eggs and work the mixture till it’s a uniform paste. Taste and correct seasoning, remembering that the filling should be mild. Cover the filling and let it rest a half hour or more in a cool place.

Either purchase several sheets of fresh store-made pasta, or make your own using 2 3/4 cups of flour, three eggs, and a pinch of salt, following the instructions for home-made pasta. If you make the pasta at home divide the dough into two pieces and roll them out to make two equal-sized dime-thin sheets.

There is a gadget that resembles an ice tray with which you can make uniform ravioli; however, once you get the hang of it, it’s quicker and easier to make them by hand. This is an easy way: pick the straightest edge of the sheet (trim it if necessary) and put teaspoons of filling about an inch and a half apart and an inch and a half from the margin of the sheet. Carefully fold the pasta over the filling and cut the strip of pasta and filling free from the sheet with a serrated pasta wheel. Tamp down the pasta around the balls of filling with your finger, pressing hard to make sure the pasta adheres so the ravioli won’t come apart while cooking, and cut the individual ravioli free. Set the finished ravioli to dry on a lightly floured cloth and repeat the process, continuing till the stuffing is used up.

Cook the ravioli in boiling water, draining them with a slotted spoon and transferring them to a bowl. Meanwhile, melt the butter, flavoring it with the sage, if you are using it. Stir the melted butter and the grated Parmigiano into the ravioli and serve.

A wine? White, for example Albana di Romagna.

Note: if you want to vary the stuffing, add either a half a small chicken breast sautéed in butter and minced, or 2 ounces of prosciutto, minced, to the ricotta.

Yield: 4 servings ravioli filled with ricotta.

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