Three Cheese Ravioli (v) Recipe
Smoked Tomato Sauce, Basil Pesto
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Ingredients
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Ravioli filling
Pasta dough
Smoked tomato sauce
Basil pesto
To finish & serve
Method
Ravioli filling
- 1
Prepare filling
Place ricotta, grated Parmesan and Pecorino Romano in a medium bowl. Add egg yolk, lemon zest, chopped basil, salt and black pepper. Stir until evenly combined. Taste and adjust salt/pepper. Transfer filling to a piping bag or a zip-top bag with the corner snipped; refrigerate until ready to use.
Pasta dough
- 2
Make dough
On a clean work surface, combine all-purpose and semolina flours and make a well. Crack eggs into the well, add olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Using a fork, whisk eggs and gradually incorporate flour from the edges until a shaggy dough forms. Knead by hand for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic; if dough feels dry, add water 1 teaspoon at a time (up to 2 TBS). Form into a ball, wrap tightly in cling film and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- 3
Roll and portion
After resting, divide dough into 4 pieces. Keep unused pieces covered. Using a pasta machine or rolling pin, roll each piece into thin sheets about 1.5–2 mm thick. Dust lightly with flour to prevent sticking.
- 4
Assemble ravioli
Place one pasta sheet on a lightly floured surface. Pipe or drop evenly spaced 1-tablespoon mounds of filling about 1.5 inches apart. Brush a little water or beaten egg along edges and between mounds to help seal. Lay a second sheet over the top, gently press around each mound to remove air and seal. Using a ravioli cutter or knife, cut into squares and press edges firmly with a fork to ensure a good seal. Place finished ravioli on a floured tray and repeat with remaining dough and filling. Chill for 15 minutes to set seals.
Smoked tomato sauce
- 5
Sauté aromatics
Heat 2 TBS olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and a pinch of salt; cook 6–8 minutes until translucent. Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.
- 6
Build sauce
Add the canned peeled tomatoes (crush them with your hands or a spoon as you add) and vegetable stock. Stir in smoked paprika, sugar (if using), 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced and the flavors concentrate.
- 7
Blend and finish
Remove from heat, add torn basil leaves, then use an immersion blender (or transfer to a blender) to purée until smooth but slightly rustic. Taste and adjust seasoning. Keep warm on low heat while you cook the ravioli.
Basil pesto
- 8
Make pesto
In a food processor, combine basil leaves, toasted pine nuts, grated Parmesan and garlic. Pulse until coarse. With motor running, slowly stream in olive oil until emulsified and smooth-ish. Add lemon juice, salt and pepper; pulse briefly. Taste and adjust seasoning. If pesto is too thick, thin with 1–2 teaspoons of water or more olive oil. Transfer to a small bowl and cover with plastic touching the surface to prevent browning.
To finish & serve
- 9
Cook ravioli
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and season generously with coarse salt (about 1 TBS). In batches, gently drop ravioli into boiling water and cook 3–4 minutes for fresh ravioli (they will float and be tender). Use a slotted spoon to remove and transfer directly to the sauce pan.
- 10
Warm in sauce
Add 1–2 ladles of smoked tomato sauce to a large sauté pan over low heat and stir in 1 tablespoon butter. Add cooked ravioli to the pan and gently toss to coat and warm through for 1 minute. Spoon a little additional sauce over each plate.
- 11
Plate and garnish
Place ravioli on plates, drizzle or dot with basil pesto (about 1 teaspoon pesto per ravioli or to taste), sprinkle with grated Parmesan and tear fresh basil leaves over the top. Finish with a small pat of butter if desired and a crack of black pepper. Serve immediately.