Spinach and Ricotta Ravioli, Walnut Cream, Confit Yolk

Ingredients and method

For the pasta dough:

• 250 g 00 flour
• 250 g durum wheat semolina
• 5 eggs
• salt
• 20 ml olive oil

Place all ingredients together and knead till you have a smooth dough.

Wrap with plastic and set aside for 20 mins to rest.

Once rested, laminate the dough through a pasta roller by stretching it out, folding it and re-stretching it out till it becomes glossy.

Stretch it out one increment at a time until you get to size one or a desirable thickness.

For the filling:

• 1 bunch of English spinach wilted in a pan and strained and squeezed dry
• 500 g fresh ricotta
• 100 g grated parmigiano
• 1 egg
• salt pepper
• 50 g bread crumbs

Place all ingredients apart from the bread crumbs into a food processor or a Thermomix and blend till smooth.

Add bread crumbs to soak up a bit of the excess moisture.

Cut 10cm rounds from the pasta sheets. Brush half the rounds with water; top with 2 teaspoons filling. Place remaining rounds over filling; press firmly to seal.

For the confit yolk:

• 1 litre grape seed oil
• 10 eggs
• salt to taste

Pre-heat the oven to 72°C.

In an oven proof tray or pot, place the grape seed oil - make sure the oil is at least 5 cm deep.

Separate the egg whites and yolk very carefully not to break the yolk. Place each yolk gently on a piece of paper towel and let it roll along it to take off any residual egg white that might be attached, then place the unbroken yolks in the grape seed oil.

Cover with gladwrap then with foil and cook at 72°C for 35 min.

For the walnut cream:

• 150 g walnut
• 60 ml verjus
• 20 ml olive oil
• 40 ml white wine vinegar
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 fillets of anchovy
• salt pepper

Place all ingredients into the Thermomix or food processor and blend till smooth.

Mix cooked ravioli with the walnut cream. Serve in a pasta bowl with a confit egg as garnish.

Note: This recipe was demonstrated in Matteo's class “Tastes of Regional Italy”, May 2018.