tortelloni with ricotta, lemon and pine kernels

tortelloni di ricotta, limone e pinoli

for 6

Fresh Pasta (see here)

semolina flour for dusting

Maldon salt and freshly ground black pepper

filling

400 g buffalo ricotta cheese

1/3 nutmeg, freshly grated

150 g Parmesan, freshly grated

2 small dried red chillies, crushed

75 g pine kernels, lightly toasted

peel of 1 lemon, white pith removed

sauce

juice of 2 large lemons

200 ml double cream

75 g softened butter

100 g Parmesan, freshly grated

To make the filling, break up the ricotta with a fork, and add the nutmeg, Parmesan, chilli and generous salt and pepper. Crush the pine kernels and carefully stir into the mixture. Finely chop the lemon peel and add to the ricotta. Stir in a little double cream if the mixture seems very stiff.

Dust your work surface with semolina flour. Divide the pasta dough into quarters. Roll the pieces out one at a time to the finest setting on your pasta machine, to form long strips the width of your machine. Cut into 8 cm squares. Place a teaspoon of the filling in the centre of each square and fold in half to form a triangle. Gently press to seal the dough around the filling. Bend each triangle around your finger, joining the folded ends to slightly overlap, and press to seal, leaving the third point sticking up – rather like tying a headscarf around your head (see here).

To make the sauce, heat the cream gently, then add the softened butter, lemon juice, Parmesan and salt and pepper. Keep warm over the gentlest possible heat.

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, season with 1 tablespoon of salt, and add the tortelloni. Simmer gently until the tortelloni are tender but firm to the bite, about 8–10 minutes. Drain, keeping a little of the pasta water. Place the tortelloni carefully into the thickened sauce. Add a little of the hot pasta water to liquefy, and serve with extra grated Parmesan.