Ravioli di Ricotta

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When Jody Williams arrived in 1998, il Buco took a hard turn toward Italy from Spain. Jody had staged at Caffè Arti e Mestieri in Reggio Emilia, where she had perfected recipes like this: simple, divine, and delicious. She had such a beautiful hand with pasta, as is clear to anyone who has eaten at Via Carota or I Sodi, the restaurants she now runs with her partner, Rita Sodi. Back when she was with us, I lived on and for these little ricotta pillows, adorned simply with the trinity of Italian cuisine: tomato, basil, and olive oil.

Serves 4

1 quart store-bought or fresh ricotta

3 large eggs

⅛ teaspoon grated nutmeg

Zest of 1 lemon

1½ teaspoons fine sea salt, divided

1 recipe fresh pasta dough, not rolled out

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving

2 garlic cloves, sliced

1 pint cherry tomatoes

Freshly ground black pepper

½ bunch basil, chopped, with a few sprigs reserved

Parmigiano-Reggiano, for finishing

1. Make the filling for the ravioli by whisking together the ricotta, 2 eggs, nutmeg, lemon zest, and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl until uniform. Place the filling in a pastry bag with a plain tip or a ziptop bag with a corner cut off. Set aside in the refrigerator.

2. To make the ravioli, roll out the dough per the instructions here, making two identical-size sheets roughly 6 inches wide. The dough should be thin enough that it is nearly translucent, but strong enough to hold filling.

3. Break the remaining egg into a ramekin and scramble with a fork. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush one side of one of the sheets of pasta dough.

4. Using the piping bag, pipe half dollar–size dollops of the filling onto the egg-washed pasta dough into 2 rows about 4 inches apart. Carefully drape the second sheet of pasta dough on top.

5. Seal the dough together first around the mounds of filling by using your fingers to gently push out any excess air. Then, using a pasta wheel or a sharp knife, cut the pasta evenly between the mounds of ricotta to make squares. Press around the edges of each ravioli with fingers to ensure a good seal.

6. To make the tomato sauce, heat a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and heat to a shimmer. Add the garlic and cook until golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook until they burst, 5 to 10 minutes. Season with ½ teaspoon of salt and pepper to taste, and stir in the chopped basil. Remove from the heat.

7. Meanwhile bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the ravioli and cook for approximately 4 minutes or until they float. Remove each ravioli with a spider or slotted spoon directly into the skillet with the tomato sauce. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water.

8. Reheat the ravioli and tomato sauce over gentle heat, adding a bit of pasta water only if the sauce seems too dry.

9. To serve, divide into four bowls, top with freshly shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano, a drizzle of olive oil, and the basil sprigs.