Spinach and ricotta ravioli with passata

“By investing a little time each summer in processing box upon box of the season’s tomatoes, Rosa Bovezza and her family ensure they have enough passata to feed everyone all year round. This recipe does feed a lot, but you can always freeze half for another time.” Rachel Khoo, Rachel Khoo's Kitchen Notebook Melbourne

• serves

  10

• prep

  1:30 hour

• cook

  1 hour

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 80 ml (⅓ cup) olive oil
• 2 brown onions, finely chopped
• 1 litre tomato passata
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• small handful basil leaves

Pasta dough

• 500 g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• 200 g fine semolina, plus extra for dusting
• 6 eggs
• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 60 ml (¼ cup) warm water

Spinach and ricotta filling

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 200 g spinach leaves, washed well
• 800 g fresh firm ricotta
• 100 g (1 cup) grated Parmesan cheese
• 50 g (½ cup) grated Pecorino Romano cheese
• ½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 2 egg yolks
• pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

To make the passata, heat the olive oil in a heavy based saucepan over low heat. Add the onion and garlic and stir for 4-5 minutes or until soft. Add the passata and simmer for 2-3 minutes, then add the basil and season to taste. Simmer, partially covered for about 30-40 minutes or until it has reached a rich thick sauce consistency. Reheat just before serving.  

Meanwhile, to make the pasta dough, sift the flour and semolina onto a clean work surface and create a well in the middle. Crack the eggs into the centre of the well. Mix the olive oil, salt and warm water in a small bowl, then add to the well and use your fingers to combine the wet ingredients gently. Gradually begin combining some of the flour from the inside of the well with the wet ingredients until a dough comes together. Knead the dough for 10-15 minutes or until smooth. The dough should not be too sticky or too dry. Shape into a ball, place in a plastic bag and set aside to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

To make the filling, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. When hot, add the spinach and toss for 1-2 minutes or just until wilted, then drain well. When the spinach is cool enough to handle, squeeze out as much water as possible. Finely chop the spinach, then place in a bowl with the remaining ingredients and stir to combine well. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Divide the pasta dough into 6 portions, then working with one piece at a time and leaving the others covered while you work, flatten the dough firmly with the heel of your hand on a lightly floured work surface. Roll the pasta several times through the widest setting on a pasta machine, folding it in half each time you feed it through. Once the pasta sheet looks silky and smooth, continue feeding it through the rollers, reducing the settings one notch at time until you come to the second last setting.

Place the pasta sheet on a work surface and place one teaspoon of filling in 3-4 cm intervals along the bottom half of the pasta. Fold the other half over the filling, then using your fingers or the sides of your palms, gently press around the filling to expel any air bubbles, then press the sides to seal well. Place on a semolina dusted tray and refrigerate until ready to cook.

To cook, carefully drop the ravioli into a large saucepan of lightly salted boiling water. Simmer for 5 minutes or until al dente, then pour into a colander and drain well. Transfer the ravioli to a large serving dish, spoon over the hot passata, then scatter with grated Parmesan and serve immediately.

Note

• To freeze the freshly made ravioli, place in a single layer on a baking paper-lined tray and freeze overnight. The following day, transfer the ravioli to a zip lock bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months.

Recipes from Rachel Khoo’s Kitchen Notebook by Rachel Khoo (Michael Joseph, $39.99). Drop by Rachel Khoo’s website.

Photography by Prue Ruscoe. Styling by Lucy Tweed. Food preparation by Leanne Kitchen. Creative concept by Lou Fay.

Society napkin from Ondene. 

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.