Ravioli with Spinach, Ricotta, & Egg Yolks

This recipe makes four large ravioli. We suggest around two or three ravioli per person.

For the dough: 

1 ¼ Cups of Flour

2 Medium Eggs 

Classico Extra Virgin Olive Oil (to taste) 

Pinch of Salt 

For the filling: 

1 ½ Cups Cooked Spinach (sauté with two tablespoons of olive oil and a clove of diced garlic until the spinach is wilted)

1 cup of Ricotta

Ground Nutmeg (to taste)

Salt & Pepper

Grated Parmigiano (to taste) 

Lemon Zest (to taste) 

4 Free-Range, Fresh, Egg Yolks

1 Whole Egg

To serve: 

Classico Extra Virgin Olive Oil 

Pepper

Fresh Herbs (we suggest sage, rosemary, and thyme) 

Grated Parmigiano 

Special tools:

Pasta Machine (or rolling pin!)

2 Circular Dough Cutters (one roughly 6 inches and one roughly 4 inches).

1. Place the flour on a wooden surface, forming a pyramid. Make a deep and wide well in the middle of the flour pyramid. 
   
   
2. Crack the two eggs into the well, making sure they don’t overflow. Using a fork whisk the eggs until combined. Gradually start adding some flour from the well’s walls until the dough is too thick to mix with a fork. 
   
   
3. Begin kneading the dough with your hands. Add a few tablespoons of Classico extra virgin olive oil to give the dough more flexibility. Knead until you have a smooth, compact, ball of dough. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and leave it to rest on the side, for at least 30 minutes. 
   
   
4. As the dough rests, prepare the filling. Roughly chop the cooked spinach using a sharp knife and place it in a large bowl. 
   
   
5. Add the ricotta and combine the two ingredients using a fork. 
   
   
6. Add a pinch of grated nutmeg, salt, pepper, and grated parmigiano to taste. Grate some lemon zest and add to the mix, tasting and adjusting accordingly. 
   
   
7. Finally, add one whole egg and mix vigorously. Place the filling in a piping bag and leave to one side. 
   
   
8. Carefully separate the four egg yolks from the whites, placing each yolk in a separate espresso cup (or small glass). 
   
   
9. Cut off a piece of dough and begin flattening it out using a pasta machine (or rolling pin), moving from level to level until you reach the thinnest width.
   
   
10.  Lay the rolled out dough on the wooden surface: time to shape the ravioli! 
    
    
11. Press lightly into the dough (just enough to make a mark) with the smaller dough cutter: this creates a guideline for where you should put your filling. 
    
    
12. Using the piping bag, squeeze two circles of the spinach and ricotta filling on top of each other (leaving a space in the middle for the yolk). 
    
    
13. Carefully drop one yolk into the middle space. 
    
    
14. Place an equal sized portion of pasta dough on top to cover the ravioli. Press down tightly around the filling to seal the ravioli. 
    
    
15. Cut the ravioli using the large dough cutter. 
    
    
16. Repeat for the remaining dough and filling. 
    
    
17. Place a pot of water to boil. Once it begins simmering, add a pinch of rock salt followed by the ravioli. Once the ravioli have risen to the surface, cook them for 2 minutes longer and then remove from the water. 
    
    
18. As soon as the ravioli are cooked, place them on individual plates. Top with a generous drizzle of Classico extra virgin olive oil, the fresh herbs of your choosing, a dash of black pepper, and a sprinkle of Parmigiano. 
    
    
19. Slice your ravioli in half and mix the runny yolk with the olive oil, herbs, pepper, and Parmigiano to make your sauce! 

TIP: If you have extra dough and filling, make simple ravioli without a yolk and pop them in the freezer! When you feel like eating them, throw them in a pot of boiling water without defrosting them.