I’m gonna go step by step on this post because this is where I kinda ‘geek out’ a bit as far as cooking skills are concerned – I was taught how to make pasta a long time ago and it’s something I get very, very agitated about when people talk about it in less than flattering terms and I’ve gotten into stand-up Pub-Arguments about it…….which is great, this is what food should evoke…emotion. The pub argument is a story for another time….just remind me 🙂

If you have never made you own pasta before then I urge you to do so – set aside some time on a Saturday afternoon and enjoy it. It can be tricky to start with but once you get the swing of it you will be making your own for ever….and it freezes really well!

Home made Cheese and Spinach Raviolis – serves 4-6

Fresh egg Pasta

600 grams ’00’ flour

14 egg yolks

Filling

400 grams fresh baby spinach leaves

100 grams of Feta (or Ricotta – I find Feta tastier)

100 grams of Parmesan

Method for the filling

Begin by seasoning and oiling a wide frying pan and add the spinach – wilt for about 2 minutes

Next cool the spinach way,way down and arrange in a line on a clean tea towel. At this point you will be wringing as much liquid from the spinach as possible

Roll up the tea towel into what looks like a Christmas cracker

Next simply roll and squeeze until the spinach water is completely ran out – the drier the better

When the spinach is dried out then run a large knife through it to loosen it up (you don’t want stringy filling!)

In a large bowl combine the spinach the cheese and on egg yolk

Next bring the filling components together with a fork – make sure everything is well mixed

Method for the fresh egg pasta

Combine the egg yolks and ’00’ flour in a big arsed bowl and bring together to form a tight dough. You can do this in a food processor but wheres the fun in that?

Turn the dough out on to your work top and start working things together. At this stag it looks really rough and dry but trust me, with some work it will come together. It should feel ‘tight’ and un-yielding but it will come into line!

Work the dough until it becomes silky and smooth

Now, this is big time important – Cling the pasta dough then sling it into the fridge for at least 30 minutes

Next make the pasta, you will need a pasta machine  cut the past in 2 and form a rectangle that will go through the rollers.

run the pasta through the machine slowly moving down through the settings until you have pasta that you can almost see through.

Take a pastry cutter and cut out 10 discs of dough per person – one top and one bottom of the Raviolis

Carefully spoon some of the filling onto the center of each disc, brush lightly with water around the edge of the disc

Set the top disc on sealing all the way around to form your Ravioli.

Get a deep pot of boiling water on the roll and salt it well – no need for oil…that’s rubbish ad a waste of oil by the way.

The Raviolis will float when they are cooked, lift them out and straight into another frying pan