Ricotta and Spinach Ravioli

Instructions

1. 1

   To make ricotta and spinach ravioli, start with the fresh pasta: beat the eggs separately, then gradually add them to a bowl with the flour, mixing to incorporate them.

2. 2

   Continue kneading with your hands in the bowl, then transfer to a work surface and knead until you obtain a smooth and homogeneous consistency. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest in a cool, dry place for 30 minutes. Alternatively, you can make the dough on a work surface, creating a classic well shape and placing the eggs in the center.

3. 3

   Meanwhile, prepare the filling: heat a drizzle of oil in a pan, add the spinach, and sauté briefly. Then, lower the heat, cover with a lid, and cook for about 5-6 minutes. After this time, season with salt.

4. 4

   Transfer the cooked spinach to a colander and squeeze well to remove excess liquid, then chop finely. Set the spinach aside for a moment and place the ricotta and grated Parmesan cheese in a bowl.

5. 5

   Season with pepper and nutmeg, then add the chopped spinach and mix well. Transfer the filling to a piping bag without a nozzle.

6. 6

   After the dough has rested, divide it in half, keeping the other half well covered to prevent it from drying out. Sprinkle one of the halves lightly with semola flour and flatten it with your hands, then roll it out with a rolling pin to give it a fairly regular shape and a width similar to the thickness of a pasta machine roller.

7. 7

   Pass the dough through the widest setting of the pasta machine. Place the strip of pasta you obtained back on the work surface and fold the sides towards the center, then flatten it again with a rolling pin to give it a rectangular shape as regularly as possible.

8. 8

   Pass the dough through the pasta machine again, gradually decreasing the thickness until it reaches about 1-2 mm; if the dough seems too moist, you can sprinkle it lightly with semola flour. Proceed in the same way to roll out the second portion of dough; in the meantime, cover the first sheet of dough with a cloth or plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out. Once you have obtained the sheets, trim the short sides with a knife; you can re-knead the scraps, being careful not to let them dry out. Pipe the filling onto one of the two sheets of dough, spacing the mounds about 3 cm apart and leaving a free edge of about 1.5 cm (if you don't have a piping bag, you can use a teaspoon).

9. 9

   Moisten the sheet of dough with water using a brush or a spray bottle, then cover with the second sheet of dough, making sure the sides match. Press lightly on the edges to make them adhere.

10. 10

    Gently pass your finger around the filling to release any trapped air. Finally, cut out and finish the edges with a fluted pastry wheel to obtain ravioli of about 4.5x4.5 cm. Place your ricotta and spinach ravioli on a cloth sprinkled with semola flour.