Cheese & spinach ravioli with burnt butter & sage

(Ravioli di magro al burro fuso e salvia)

Serves 6 (makes approximately 60 ravioli)

In Italian cooking, vegetables are treated as important and prized ingredients, not simply as nutritious accompaniments or second-class ingredients. They form the essence of great Italian cooking and are treated with a great deal of respect. This dish is a classic example of this. If I was to nominate a dish that most typifies the essence of the Pendolino restaurant experience, this simple dish of spinach and cheese ravioli would probably be it. Many of our regular diners don’t even ask for the menu, they simply order the ravioli and that’s the end of it. It is the first choice for vegetarians and meat-eaters alike. Done well, this is simply awesome food.

330 g (11½ oz) baby English spinach

260 g (9¼ oz) fresh ricotta cheese

130 g (4½ oz/1¼ cups) freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, plus extra, to serve

100 g (3½ oz/²/₃ cup) grated aged buffalo mozzarella cheese

¹/₃ x 59 g (2¼ oz) beaten free-range or organic egg

freshly grated nutmeg, to taste

fine sea salt, to taste

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

600 g (1 lb 5 oz) fresh egg pasta dough

fine semolina, for dusting

200 g (7 oz) salted butter, chopped

12 sage leaves

Prepare the spinach by blanching in boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain and refresh in iced water. Squeeze as much liquid out of the spinach as possible. Process the spinach in a food processor or use a mortar and pestle. Mix with the three cheeses, beaten egg and nutmeg, season with the sea salt and black pepper and set aside.

To make the ravioli, roll the pasta dough into sheets of less than 1 mm (¹/₃₂ inch) thickness. Brush one sheet lightly with water and place ½ tablespoon measures of the spinach mixture roughly 5 cm (2 inches) apart. Place another sheet on top, pressing around the mixture to remove air bubbles (this step is essential). Using a circle cutter of approximately 5–5.5 cm (2–2¼ inches) in diameter, cut round ravioli shapes, dust lightly with the semolina and place on tray lined with non-stick baking paper.

Cook the ravioli in abundant salted boiling water and drain. Heat the butter in a saucepan and cook the sage leaves over medium–high heat until golden brown in colour. Serve with the ravioli and extra Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.