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≈ ORECCHIONI CON RIPIENO DI SPINACI E RICOTTA ≈

LA SFOGLIA
MAKING FRESH PASTA

INGREDIENTS:

PER PERSON: 1 large egg + 100g(4oz) plain white flour – but bear in mind that no 2 batches of lour are identical, and that no 2 eggs are ever quite the same either so if you do end up having to add more egg or more flour to your mixture, it is not an indication of failure on your part! I do think that trying to explain how to make fresh pasta in writing is very hard to do and must be almost impossible to really grasp for the reader. Far batter to go to a pasta making class with an expert if you can, so that you can see for yourself what actually happens during this magical process!

To make pasta, put all the flour in a pile on a work surface and plunge your fist into the centre to make a hollow. Break the eggs into the hole and add a pinch of salt. Using your fingers or a fork beat the eggs together thoroughly. Then begin to knead them roughly into the flour. Then use your hands to knead everything together.

This is not like making pastry, so this is not the moment for a delicate approach, but on the other hand if you are too heavy handed you will cause the dough to dry out too much and it will never roll out smoothly!

Knead the flour and eggs together until you have a really smooth, pliable ball of dough. Rest under a clean cloth for about 20 minutes, this will relax the gluten and make the dough more manageable.

Now comes the hard part. Roll out the dough as thinly as possible with a strong long rolling pin. Continue to roll it over and over again until your dough is really elastic, smooth and shiny. It should cool down considerably as you work it, and you will feel it dropping in temperature as you go along. When it is ready the sheet of dough will feel like a brand new, wrung out, damp chamois leather, but must not be brittle. Keep it moist by covering it with a slightly damp clean cloth when you are not working with it.

If you use a pasta machine instead of the traditional rolling pin, knead together the eggs and flour into a rough textured ball of dough. Rest the dough for 20 minutes, then cover it with a very slightly damp cloth and break off a piece about the size of a small fist. Flatten this section out with your hands and push it through the widest setting on your pasta machine. Fold this in half and repeat. Do this 3 times. Move the machine down to the next setting. Repeat 3 times. Continue in this way, changing the setting after every 3 times until you hear the pasta snap as it is going between the rollers. At this point you can forget about folding it in half each time, as the surface tension is now correct. Continue to wind it through the rollers to the last or penultimate setting on the machine, depending on how fine you want it to be. Lay the sheet of pasta carefully on to a floured surface.

Now take another lump of dough the size of a small fist and begin again. Do this with all the pasta. Keep an eye on the sheets of pasta you have rolled out. Put them on a floured surface to dry, but remember they will not be easy to cut if they are too dry. To keep them moist, cover with slightly damp, clean cloths.

You can cut your pasta into the desired shape as soon as it is dry enough to roll up without it sticking to itself. Once cut, you can use the pasta immediately, or let it dry out further. If you are making a filled pasta shape such as Ravioli you must use soft, moist pasta other wise it will not be possible to close each one securely. In this case, fill the pasta at once, and then leave the shapes to dry.

To freeze fresh pasta: Open freezes on trays, then bag it up and label.
Keeps for about 1 month once frozen.

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ORECCHIONI CON RIPIENO DI SPINACI E RICOTTA

SERVES 6

Ingredients:

1 kg/2 lbs fresh spinach, picked over and washed in several changes of water
200 g/7 oz fresh ricotta
pinch grated nutmeg
salt and freshly milled black pepper
175g/6 oz freshly grated Parmesan
6 eggs
250 g plain white flour + 250 g fine semolina
1/4 teaspoon olive oil
150 g/5 oz unsalted butter
5 leaves fresh sage, rubbed gently between your palms to release their flavour

METHOD

Make the filling first. Cook the spinach with just the water still attached to it after washing in a large, covered saucepan. Let it cook until wilted, then drain thoroughly and cool. When it is cool enough to handle, squeeze the cooked spinach dry in your hands, then chop it finely. Mix the spinach and the ricotta together. Add the nutmeg, the salt and pepper and half the parmesan. Blend together with one egg. Set aside until required. Now make the pasta. Tip the flour out on to the worktop and make a hollow in the centre with your fist. Break the remaining 5 eggs into the hole. Stir the eggs into the flour, then begin to knead together. Add the olive oil and knead until you have a smooth ball of elastic dough. Roll the dough out several times until fine, silky and cool. Divide it lengthways into 6 cm/2 1/2 inch wide strips. Drop 1/2 dessert spoon of the filling along one half of each strip, leaving a gap of 2 cms./3/4 inch between each one. Fold the strip in half, encasing the filling. Using a pastry cutter or an upturned glass cut around each section of filling to make a crescent. Seal the curved edge of each crescent with the prongs of a fork. Continue in this way until all the dough has been cut. Remaining scraps of dough can be chopped finely with a sharp knife and set aside to dry. It can then be used in a clear broth to make a simple soup. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Drop the Orecchioni into the water and boil until floating on the surface and tender. Drain carefully, removing them with a slotted spoon, and arrange in a warmed serving dish. Meanwhile, melt the butter with the sage leaves until warm and golden, not browned. When all the pasta is in the serving dish, pour over the melted butter and mix carefully to distribute. Sprinkle with the rest of the cheese and serve at once. Alternatively, dress the Orecchioni with a simple tomato sauce.

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ROTOLO DI PASTA /PASTA ROLL
With Mushroom, Mascarpone and Walnut filling

SERVES 6

Ingredients

500 g cleaned and chopped wild fresh mushrooms
50 g dried porcini mushrooms, soaked in warm water for 3 minutes, then drained and chopped, reserve liquid
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
300 g freshest mascarpone
60 g finely chopped walnuts
150 g freshly grated Parmigiano
2 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons freshly chopped flat leaf parsley
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

METHOD

Gently sauté the fresh and dried mushrooms together with the butter, stirring frequently. Strain the reserved liquid and use this to baste the cooking mushrooms if necessary. When they are soft, dry and thoroughly cooked, set aside to cool completely. Chop or processes finely, then stir in the Mascarpone, chopped walnuts, the Parmigiano, beaten eggs, chopped parsley and seasoning. Set aside until required.

Make the pasta as normal using 5 eggs, 250 g semola or finest semolina and 250 g plain white flour (see previous recipe) and roll into a wide sheet with a rolling pin. The size of the sheet will depend on how large your cloth is, you will need to allow enough fabric at each end of the roll to be able to tie the cloth securely in place, and also how long or wide your fish kettle/pan is going to be. Spread the filling evenly and not too thickly over the sheet and then roll the pasta up like a “Swiss Roll” making sure there is no air between each turn of the spiral. Keep within 3 centimetres of the edges of the cloth. Wrap it tightly in a clean muslin cloth or large napkin. Tie the ends tightly. Bring a fish kettle or wide pan of water of salted water to the boil. Slide the wrapped roll into the water carefully and boil gently for about 45 minutes. DON’T LET IT SAG IN THE CENTRE. Remove carefully and drain. Unwrap and lay on a board to slice with a very sharp knife. Arrange the slices on a plate and spoon over a little tomato sauce or melted butter. Any leftover filling can be used to simply toss through freshly cooked pasta as a simple, rich and effective sauce.

N.B. One thing that is really useful about this dish is that it can sit quite happily in the hot water, once cooked, until you are ready to serve it, for up to about 30 minutes. Another point worth mentioning is that you should make sure the cloth is not saturated in fabric conditioner as this will really affect the flavour of the dish.