I've been dying to make some pasta since I got back from Italy in June, however it's been such a busy wedding season I haven't had time, until today.
Pasta is one of the easiest and cheapest things to make in a kitchen. You only use two ingredients and you do not have to use a fancy pasta machine, just a rolling pin and a bit of elbow grease.
I was lucky enough to be taught how to make pasta by the amazing Gennaro Contaldo (http://gennarocontaldo.com) who makes it look like child's play, he is a genius!
However, you don't need a master-class from a celebrity chef to make this dish, you can make pasta at home very easily, this recipe I dreamed up on route back from one of the weddings I recently attended, it would be ideal as a starter for a dinner party, I love leeks and this simple combination is a great showcase of this often overlooked vegetable.
Ingredients (makes 6 large ravioli, for 2 people)
Pasta: 2 whole eggs + 1 additional egg yolk, 200g '00' plain flour.
Filing: 2 spring onions, 2 medium size leeks (washed and trimmed), 1/2 ground nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste, 1/2tbsp butter, drop olive oil.
Sauce & topping: 2tbsp unsalted butter, 1/2 fresh lemon juiced, 2 slices fresh white bread crumbs, 1tbsp olive oil, few leaves of sage, 1 tbsp crushed hazelnuts, salt & pepper to taste.
To make the pasta mix the eggs and flour until it comes together to form a stiff dough. Kneed on a flat surface until it becomes a smooth ball. (If it's too dry you may need to add a couple of teaspoons of beaten egg, and if it's too wet a little extra flour).
Once it forms a smooth ball wrap well in cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 mins.
While the pasta is chilling, finely slice the spring onion and leeks and add to a large pan, on a medium heat, with the butter and oil.
Take a square of grease proof paper and fold in to quarters and then once again, hold the point in to the centre of the pan and cut with scissors to create a disk which fits your pan diameter. (This is called a cartouche). Cover the leeks with it, pressing gently, put a tight lid on the pan, turn the heat right down and leave for 30 minutes. Once cooked add the grated nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste and stir well, don't worry if the leeks have gone golden and gooey, as long as they are not burned this is all gorgeous flavour!
When the pasta has chilled take it out of the fridge and use a rolling pin to start to flatten it. If you are using a pasta machine put it through on the largest setting and keep folding the pasta and passing it through, gradually letting the settings get smaller until a thin sheet is formed. If you are using a rolling pin, keep folding the pasta and rolling thinner until a thin sheet is formed. Use a scant amount of flour to prevent sticking as you go.
When the pasta is extremely thin lay it out on a large flat surface being careful to lightly flour underneath to prevent sticking. Put small spoonfuls of the leek mixture on to the pasta sheet, and gently cover with another thin sheet of pasta. You need to ensure you gently squeeze the air out of each ravioli to prevent them bursting whilst cooking, press around each one to seal and then use a round cutter to cut each in to a seperare ravioli. Set them aside on a lightly floured plate whilst you prepare the topping.
For the topping melt 2tbsp butter in a pan and leave to cook until it turns a golden brown colour, keep skimming the top to take away the white foam which forms. You should end up with a clear brown butter. Add the lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste.
Next heat the olive oil in a frying pan and add the breadcrumbs, sage, hazelnuts and seasoning, toss constantly until golden brown and remove from the heat.
To assemble bring a pan of water to a rolling boil, turn down slightly and add the ravioli, cook for 3 minutes until tender, drain well.
Assemble the cooked ravioli on a plate, drizzle with the lemon butter and sprinkle with the hazelnut crumb.
Tip: when I make pasta I always double the recipe and make some extra sheets, these can be cut in to large pappardelle pasta strips and dried on wire hangers to use the next day. It doesn't matter if the shape isn't perfect, it all tastes the same once cooked!
Here is some pappardelle drying on hangers in my door at home, ready for tomorrow's dinner.
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