Lucia Costella, Pasiano di Prato, Pordenone
(Yield: 4 servings)
PASTA:
3 cups flour
2 whole eggs
2 tablespoons warm water
pinch of salt
FILLING:
1 pound spinach
(cleaned and roughly chopped)
pinch of salt
1 cup Ricotta cheese
1 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
2 egg yolks
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
SAUCE:
7 tablespoons butter
or tomato sauce
Parmesan cheese
1. MAKE THE PASTA: Sift flour onto a working surface and make a well in the centre. Add eggs, water and salt and slowly incorporate all the flour. Mix completely, then form a ball and knead until smooth. Wrap ball tightly with plastic wrap and allow to sit for approx. ½ hour.
2. MAKE THE FILLING: Cook spinach with 2 tablespoons of water and a pinch of salt in a skillet over medium heat for approx. 5 minutes (or until entirely wilted). Remove from heat, drain and wrap spinach in a clean towel and squeeze out excess liquid. Combine drained spinach, Ricotta and Parmesan cheese, egg yolks, and nutmeg in a bowl and set aside.
3.Remove the pasta dough, divide into 4 pieces and roll out each as thinly as possible on a flour surface.
4.Spread the filling evenly over the dough to within one inch of its edges. Roll up the dough into a cylinder and pinch the ends and seam to hold the filling in place.
5.Gently lower the rolls into a large pot of boiling water and cook for approx. 1 hour.
6.Remove and drain. Place onto serving dishes and top with melted butter or warm tomato sauce and garnish with grated Parmesan cheese.