Homemade Ravioli with Spinach and Ricotta Cheese

Homemade ravioli filled with fresh ricotta cheese and organic baby spinach

If you are looking for an easy-to-follow recipe to learn the art of making stuffed pasta, 
you've come to the right place

Last week I posted my recipe on how to make basic homemade pasta. Today I'm using that recipe to prepare handmade ravioli with spinach and ricotta cheese.
As I said for the tagliatelle, making stuffed pasta is actually easier than you might think. All you need are a rolling pin, or pasta maker, a ravioli cutter, about two hours of your time, and some passion... or as we say in Italian, some "voglia di fare" (willingness to do it!).
Even if making ravioli can be a bit time consuming, it's really rewarding. Freshly made ravioli, filled with organic baby spinach and delicate ricotta cheese are simply amazing.
So when you have some free time, and feel like experimenting something new, here is a great activity for you. Maybe your kids can join in the fun too!
With this recipe you can make around 45 ravioli, 2.5 inches in diameter, serving at least 4 people.
For the sauce, I suggest drizzling the ravioli with sage infused melted butter and sprinkled with lots of fresh grated Parmesan cheese. This way the sauce will not take away any of the ravioli delicate flavor. Buon appetito!

Ingredients: to make around 45 ravioli, 2.5 in diameter, serving 4
for the pasta:

• 400 gr flour
• 4 eggs

for the stuffing:

• 10 oz (280 gr) of fresh organic baby spinach 
• 8 oz (225 gr) ricotta cheese (I used whole milk)
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup (25 gr) of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon of grated nutmeg grated
• salt

Preparation time: about 2 hours
Directions:
1. Prepare the dough  following this recipe.

2. For the stuffing: cook the spinach in boiling water until tender. It should take only a few minutes.
Drain the spinach and try to squeeze as much water out as you can.

3. Chop the spinach and add to a large bowl, with the ricotta cheese, egg, Parmesan cheese, nutmeg and a bit of salt. Mix well.

4. Divide the pasta dough in two parts. Keep the half that you are not using in the plastic wrap.
Roll the dough in a thin layer, about 1/8 of an inch, or as thin as you can. When you roll, always make sure the pasta doesn't stick to the counter. Move and rotate the dough as necessary.

5. Cut the dough halfway. Using your cutter and starting from one end, measure and mark (do not cut) the distance between the ravioli, on half of the dough only. You should be able to get 20-22 ravioli. Place about one teaspoon of filling on the pasta in the middle of each of the ravioli At this point you should used only half of the ricotta/spinach filling.

6. Place the other half of pasta, and press down around the filling with your fingers. You want to get most of the air out so that your ravioli will seal nicely.

7. Cut the ravioli using your cutter. Set aside on parchment paper lightly floured. Make sure the ravioli don't touch each other or they will stick together.

8. To cook: bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the ravioli for a couple of minutes after they start to float. This time is based on how thin/thick you made the pasta.Taste before removing the ravioli from the water. Serve immediately with your favorite sauce.

Enjoy!

Fresh Handmade Egg Tagliatelle Pasta

Here are all the steps and secrets to make the perfect fresh, handmade egg pasta 

It's easier than you think. All you need is flour, eggs and a rolling pin.

Finally, here it is! My recipe on how to make homemade, fresh pasta!! I couldn't possibly have a blog about Italian food and NOT post this one.
Making fresh pasta is pretty easy and a lot of fun. And check out the list of ingredients. ONLY flour and eggs! Amazing, right?! And all you need in addition to the flour and eggs is a rolling pin or a pasta maker to roll the dough. I don't own a pasta machine, but  yes! it is in my Christmas' wish list :-) The rolling pin can do all the work, but the machine is probably a good investment, saving you some time, making the pasta all the same thickness, and cutting it in perfect shapes. Hand cut pasta will not be perfect, but I find that's the beauty of it too... otherwise, how would your guests know you actually made it?!?
With this recipe you can make tagliatelle (1/4 inch wide), pappardelle (1/2 inch wide), lasagna sheets or stuff the pasta and make tortellini or ravioli.
This recipe asks for 100 gr (about 2/3 cup) of all-purpose flour and one egg per large serving, ie. a full plate of pasta! I suggest weighting the flour for a more precise measurement.
Fresh pasta can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for a couple of months. Before you can freeze or refrigerate the pasta, you need to let it dry, for about 30 to 60 minutes, so it will not stick together. After the pasta is dry you store it in a plastic bag or other container and refrigerate or freeze.
Here is the recipe for you.

Ingredients: serving 4

• 2 2/3 cups* (400 gr) of all-purpose flour
• 4 eggs

*I suggest weighting the flour. A cup of flour lightly packed can be as light as 100 gr, while if you use your cup to pick up the flour from the bag (like I do) you get 150 gr in one cup,

Preparation time: 30 minutes, plus 60 minutes inactive

Directions:
1. Beat the eggs with a fork. Mound the flour on the counter and make a well in the middle where you will pour the eggs.

2. Using a fork gently mix the eggs and incorporate some of the flour from the sides. Make sure you don't let the eggs run outside the flour and all over your counter.

3. Once the dough starts to come together you need to use your fingers and continue incorporating more flour.

4. You need to check the texture of the dough and only add enough flour to make the dough not sticky, but not too hard or it will be too difficult to knead. As you can see from my picture I have some left over flour. How much flour you will need mostly depends on the size of the eggs.Work and knead the dough for at least 5-10 minutes (or longer), until it becomes moist, smooth and elastic.

5. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes. Unwrap, knead for another few minutes. Wrap it again and let it rest for another 30 minutes.

6. Cut in half the dough, so that it's easier to work with. Re-wrap the half that you are not using in the plastic wrap so it will not dry up. Roll half of the dough using a rolling pin, or the pasta maker. Make the pasta as thin as you can. It should be less than one millimeter in thickness... which is super thin. When you roll the pasta make sure it doesn't stick to the counter. Turn and move the dough constantly while rolling. Add a little flour if necessary.

7. Cut the dough in half. Place the two half on top of each other and fold (or roll) on itself. Using  a sharp knife cut the tagliatelle, about 1/4 of  an inch wide. Or any desired shape.

8. Unfold the tagliatelle and set aside on a lightly floured surface, or cookie sheet covered with parchment paper (and a bit of flour). Do the same with the remaining dough. (roll, cut in half, fold, and cut in strips)

If you are not cooking the pasta right away, let it sit for 30 minutes on a lightly floured baking sheet, covered with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 2 or 3 days.
To cook, boil in salted water for only a few  minutes depending on its thickness. Watch it carefully and taste it before draining. Serve with your favorite sauce. Enjoy!!

Homemade Traditional Italian Focaccia Bread with Rosemary

This homemade rosemary focaccia bread is at least as soft as it looks

and for sure as delicious as one that you'd find in a bakery in Italy. Trust me!

I absolutely love freshly-baked bread. The mouth-watering aroma and the irresistible flavor of right-out-of-the-oven bread is unique and unmatchable.
Any time I visit my family back in Italy I always eat a lot of bread. It's in the long list of things I must have while I'm there, next to pizza from my favorite pizzeria, pastries, desserts and cookies from my favorite pasticceria... and a lot more!
In Italy it's customary to buy fresh bread from the panificio (bakery) around the corner every day to serve with lunch, snack or dinner. Yes! Every. Single. Day. But Sundays, of course!  That's the way I grew up and, I have to say, one of the thing I really miss. Here in the States there is no such habit, for some reason I have yet to figure out.
Anyways, I have said many times that I would like to start baking bread on a regular basis. Why not?!? It's no harder than the pizza dough I prepare quite often. So this weekend, I made for the first time this rosemary focaccia bread.  I looked at several Italian recipes on line, and came up with this one. I have to say: it was a big hit at the dinner table, and it turned out surprisingly perfect: thick, flat, soft, with the sweet flavor of fresh rosemary and extra virgin olive oil. As soft and delicious as I would find in a great bakery in Italy. I'm serious. First time I baked it, and for sure not the last time!

Ingredients: to make a 9 x 12 in focaccia bread

• 1 medium russet potato (mine was 6.5 oz, 185 gr)
• 2.5 cups (400 gr) of bread flour
• 2 teaspoons (7 gr) of active dry yeast
• 1 pinch of sugar
• 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil (divided)
• 3 rosemary sprigs
• 2 teaspoons (12 gr) of salt
• 10 fl oz (300 ml) of water
• coarse sea salt (I used lava black sea salt) to sprinkle on top

Preparation time: about 4 hours (35 minutes to prepare, three hours inactive, 25 minutes baking)

Directions:
1. Cook the potato (peeled) in slightly salted water. It should take about 20 minutes. Test with a fork for readiness.
2. In a large bowl add the flour, yeast, sugar, 2 tablespoons of olive oil and most of the rosemary leaves chopped in small pieces. Save one rosemary sprig for the end.  Pass the potato (when still hot) through a ricer into the bowl.

3. Dissolve the salt in 10 fl oz of warm water. Add to the bowl. Mix with a spoon first, until most of the flour is absorbed. Once the dough come together, move it to a clean, lightly floured counter and knead for a few minutes, pushing with your palm down and forward. The dough should be sightly sticking to your hand. Add some flour if too sticky, or add a tiny bit of water if too hard to work.
Place the dough back in the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel. Keep it in a warm place. As I do for my pizza dough, I place it in the oven (turned off obviously!). Let the dough rise for about an hour and a half.

4. Line a 9 x 12 in baking pan with parchment paper. Place the dough on the paper, and flatten it down with your fingers. Sprinkle with sea salt and the remaining rosemary. Drizzle with olive oil. With your finger, punch some holes around the dough, just like in the picture.
Put the pan back in the off-oven, and let the dough rise for another hour and a half, or so.

5. Remove the pan from the oven, and preheat to 400 degrees. Bake the focaccia bread for about 25 minutes, until slightly golden on top.

Cut in squares and serve warm or at room temperature ... always delicious! Enjoy!