Ravioli of potato and ricotta with speck and cavolo nero - Italian Cuisine

This ravioli dish is worth all the work you put in. It's a magnificent combination of silky pasta with a potato and ricotta filling, tossed with a sauce of speck and cavolo nero. A truly Italian recipe!

Ingredients



Pasta



375 g plain flour

100 g strong flour

1 tsp salt

200 g eggs (approximately 4 eggs)

50 g egg yolks (approximately 2 egg yolks)

semolina, for dusting

beaten egg whites for brushing

Filling



3 medium potatoes

salt

½ garlic clove, crushed

150 g fresh ricotta

2 tbsp freshly grated montasio or parmesan

½ lemon, rind finely grated

handful of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

pepper

Sauce



olive oil

2 shallots, finely chopped

100 g speck or pancetta, finely sliced

2 handfuls cavolo nero, roughly chopped

2½ tbsp white wine

250 ml (1 cup) chicken stock

knob of unsalted butter

50 g freshly grated montasio or parmesan

freshly grated montasio or parmesan, to serve

Cook's notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.



Instructions



Resting time 30 minutes



To make the pasta, put the flours and salt in a bowl. Add the eggs and egg yolks and use your hands to gradually incorporate into the flour and form a dough. (Alternatively, you can mix the dough in a food processor.) Transfer to a work surface and knead for a few minutes, then cover with plastic wrap and leave to rest for at least 30 minutes.



To make the filling, cook the potatoes in salted boiling water. While hot, pass them through a potato ricer, food mill or fine sieve into a bowl. Stir in the remaining ingredients and season to taste.



Divide the pasta dough into a few pieces so it is easier to work with. Take the first piece and roll it through a pasta machine on the widest setting. Fold it in half and run it through the machine again. Do this several times until smooth, then start rolling the pasta out at narrower settings until you reach the second last setting. Lay the sheet on a surface dusted with semolina while you roll out the other pieces of dough.



Place heaped teaspoons of filling at 5 cm intervals along one side of each pasta sheet. Brush egg white around the fillings. Fold over the other sides of the pasta sheets to cover the fillings. Press out any trapped air and cut between each filling to separate into ravioli. Press the edges of each ravioli to seal them shut. Dust with semolina to prevent them sticking to each other.



Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil for the ravioli. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. Heat a little oil in a saucepan over medium heat and sauté the shallots. Add the speck or pancetta and toss briefly, then add the cavolo nero followed by the wine. Allow the wine to reduce completely, then add the stock and simmer for a few minutes. Add the butter and cheese. The consistency of the sauce should be slightly viscous. Taste for seasoning.



Boil the ravioli until they float (about 1 minute). Drain, then toss them through the sauce. Spoon onto plates and scatter with grated montasio or parmesan.