Blog

Ricotta Ravioli with burnt butter & roasted pumpkin

Birthday’s! Some people love them and some people hate them. I like to cook for people, it is how I show love but sometimes when I cook for people it’s more about me than it is them. I made this recipe for my partners birthday dinner and although he smiled and played along because he knew I put a lot of effort into it, he hated it. But that is just his own bad taste because these ravioli were delicious, pillowly little parcels with a soft orange note. I nailed it, its a shame he hates birthdays!

INGREDIENTS

Ravioli filling

500g fresh ricotta, drained if wet
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest (from about 1/2 a lemon)
1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving
1/2 cup finely grated Pecerino
2 egg yolks
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the ravioli dough

500g flour tipo 00
5 large eggs

Burnt butter & Pumpkin Sauce

To make the ravioli filling

If the ricotta is wet, drain and lightly press the moisture out of it. This recipe works best if the filling holds together.
In a large bowl combine the ricotta, nutmeg, orange zest, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Pecerino and egg yolks. Season to taste with salt and pepper, stir well, and set aside.
Put into a piping bag and refrigerate until ready for use.

To make the ravioli dough:

Mound the flour on a clean work surface and create a well in the center. Place the eggs in the center. Using a fork, whisk the eggs  and slowly start dragging the flour into the egg mixture. Knead by hand until all the ingredients are well combined and the dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. (Alternatively, place all the ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. With the mixer on medium speed, knead the dough until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.) Wrap the dough in plastic wrap or place it in a covered bowl and let it rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.

Set up a pasta machine and turn it to the largest opening. Cut off pieces of dough about the size of an egg. Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll the dough into sheets about 1/8-inch thick. Only make 1 sheet at a time, the pasta will dry out too much if you leave it out.

Lay 1 pasta sheet flat on a lightly floured work surface and determine approximately where the halfway point is lengthwise. Use a pastry brush to lightly wet one half of the dough with a little water. Pipe the filling onto the pasta sheet, about 2 teaspoons, leave enough pasta around the edges to press the sides together. If the filling is too close to the edge of the ravioli it will split when cooking and the stuffing will come out. Fold the dry half of the sheet over lengthwise to cover the filling. Press the pasta sheets together to seal the edges around the filling, and press out any excess air. Use a pastry cutter or knife to cut individual ravioli. As you cut out the ravioli, place them on a plate or baking sheet sprinkled with flour to keep them from sticking. Repeat with the remaining pasta and filling.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the ravioli all at once and stir a few times to submerge and separate them. Cook, uncovered, at a gentle boil until the pasta is just tender to the bite, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain the ravioli thoroughly and serve with the burnt butter sauce.

To make the Burnt butter & Pumpkin Sauce

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Cut the pumpkin into small cubes, in a bowl toss the pumpkin with olive oil, orange juice, salt, pepper and 1/3 of the sage leaves. Put onto a roasting pan and cook for 30 minutes.
Cut the kale leave off the stalk and cut them into smaller portions
In a large frying pan heat the butter and olive oil, once the butter starts to sizzle place the sage leaves in and kale leaves.
Once the leaves have become a darker richer green colour add in the pumpkin cubes to heat through.
Serve sauce over ravioli. I don’t toss the ravioli in the sauce first I prefer to drizzle it over the top.