Beetroot Ravioli
Makes: 2 portions (serving size as shown)
There’s no greater therapy (past-isfaction?) than rolling your own pasta without a pasta machine, and savouring the fruits of your true labour.
Ingredients
1 large egg, whisked and divided
GROUP A: PASTA
2/3 cup AP flour + more for dusting
2 1/2 tbsp semolina flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup + 1 tbsp beetroot purée (make your own by blending down a small cooked beet, or use a store-bought purée)
GROUP B: FILLING
2 tbsp plain goat cheese
2 tbsp crème fraîche
1 tbsp finely minced parsley
2 medium cloves of garlic, finely minced
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp herbes de Provence
GROUP C: GARNISHING
10 - 12 sage leaves
2 tbsp chopped pistachios
Butter
2 1/2 tsp maple syrup
Grated Parmigiano Reggiano
Method
Make the pasta dough: Add all the Group A ingredients and half of the whisked egg to a large bowl and mix together till a loose dough starts to form. Knead the mixture with your hands on a flat surface, using as much extra flour for dusting as required, till the dough comes together and slightly bounces back when you poke it with your finger. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 10 minutes.
Make the filling: Mix all Group B ingredients in a bowl, then cover and refrigerate till it is time to fill the ravioli.
Roll the dough: Now, this step is a lot easier if you own a pasta machine, but if you’re like me and you don’t, or if you believe there is a greater glory (which there totally is) in rolling thin, identical pasta dough sheets by hand, then grab a large rolling pin, divide the dough into 3 equal parts, and roll each little ball into a large, flat sheet of dough, about 1 - 2 mm thick. Ensure that you dust the surface amply with flour, so as to prevent sticking of the pasta sheet.
Fill the ravioli: Divide each pasta sheet lengthwise into two parts. Take out the chilled filling, and drop little dollops at equally spaced intervals on one half only. Fill a small bowl with cold water, dip your index finger in it, run it along the boundaries of each half sheet, and in between to create a grid on the half with the filling. Carefully place the second sheet over the first one, seal with your fingers to remove any pockets, then cut off the square sections. Use a fork to press down and create the wrinkled edges on each raviolo.
Prep the garnishing: Melt butter in a saucepan and heat it till it is bubbling. Drop the sage leaves in, coat them well with the butter and let them bubble for 30 seconds. Turn off the heat and place the sage on a paper towel to let it cool and crisp. Transfer the warm butter to a bowl and mix in the maple syrup.
Cook the ravioli: Bring a large and slightly deep pan of salted water to a rolling boil, then drop in the ravioli and cover and cook for 2 - 3 minutes on medium-high. Drain the pasta once cooked, and transfer to a plate or bowl. Drizzle the maple butter all over, sprinkle the crispy sage leaves and chopped pistachios, and finish off with a healthy dose of grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Buon appetito!
