ravioli with cime di rapa and ricotta

ravioli di cime di rapa e ricotta

for 6

1.5 kg cime di rapa

Ligurian Basic Pasta (see here)

Maldon salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

1 dried red chilli, crumbled

250 g buffalo ricotta

150 g Pecorino staginata cheese, freshly grated

plain flour for dusting

extra virgin olive oil

For the filling, remove the tough stalks and outer tough leaves from the cime. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil, and cook the cime for 5–8 minutes. It should be tender but still bright green. Drain, cool and chop quite finely. Heat the olive oil in a thick-bottomed saucepan, and soften the garlic. Add the chilli, cime, salt and pepper, stir briefly to combine the flavours, then remove from the heat and cool.

Beat the ricotta lightly with a fork, and season. Mix in the cime and 3 tablespoons grated Pecorino. Cover and place in the fridge.

Dust your work surface with flour. Roll the pasta dough in the machine as outlined here. Make long thin strips the width of your pasta machine, then cut into manageable lengths. Place half dessertspoons of filling at 7 cm intervals down the middle of each strip. Fold the pasta over the filling and gently press around each mound to seal the pasta. Cut into ravioli of about 4 cm square, using a serrated pasta cutter that seals as it cuts. Place the ravioli on to floured trays until ready for cooking.

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Cook the ravioli, uncovered, in batches. They will take about 5 minutes. Drain well, and serve with freshly grated Pecorino and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.