Sardinian Ricotta Ravioli with Saffron and Lemon.
These vegetarian ricotta ravioli from Sardinia are pretty easy to make and full of Sardinian flavours. Perfect for special occasions and weekends, this is also a great recipe for first time ravioli makers!
Servings: 4
Calories: 615kcal
Ingredients
For the pasta dough
- 350 g durum wheat semolina flour (12oz)
- 50 g Italian '0' flour (1.8oz)
- 1 glass warm water
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil.
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 egg white for brushing dough
For the filling
- 300 g fresh ricotta (sheep's milk or cow's milk) (10.5oz)
- 1 teaspoon saffron threads or 1 sachet saffron powder saffron threads need to be soaked in a little warm water.
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
- 1 tablespoon soft wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest grated
- 1 pinch salt
For the tomato sauce
- 1 red onion (small) peeled and chopped
- 400 g tomato passata (14oz) I prefer 'rustica'. It's chunkier.
- 1 handful fresh basil leaves
- salt for pasta and to taste
- freshly ground black pepper. to taste.
- grated Parmigiano or Grana optional for non vegetarians.
Instructions
Make the pasta dough.
- Mound the semolina and '0' flour on a pastry board and make a small ‘well’ in the middle. Add a pinch of salt, the olive oil and some of the water into the well. Start to mix the flour and water by bringing flour to the middle from the outside of the mound. Add more water little by little until the dough starts to hold together. You can also do this part in a large bowl and then turn the dough out onto a pastry board to knead.
- Knead the dough well until it becomes quite compact, firm and smooth. Roll it into a ball and let it rest covered with cling film or a tea towel for at least half an hour.
Make the filling.
- Meanwhile, prepare the filling. If using saffron threads soak them in a little warm water (1-2 tbsp) before making the dough. Drain the ricotta and if it seems too wet, squeeze it in a tea towel to get rid of as much liquid as possible. In a bowl, use a fork to mix the ricotta with the egg yolks, a pinch of salt, saffron, chopped parsley, lemon zest and wheat flour in a large bowl. Once the filling is well mixed, a little compact and creamy, set it aside.
Make the ravioli.
- Cut off ¼ of the dough and roll it out into a thin sheet. You can use a rolling pin or run it through your pasta machine. Using a teaspoon put a small ball of filling along one side of the pasta sheet, not too close to the edge. Brush egg white along the edge of the pasta and around the filling. Fold the sheet over the filling and press down the sides of each ravioli to seal. Then cut along the pasta sheet to remove the extra dough using a circular pastry cutter and finally cut ravioli into squares. (see photos in post).
- Place the ready ravioli on a well -floured tray or board. Cut off another ¼ of the dough and repeat the ravioli making process. Continue until you have used up all the dough and filling.
Make the tomato sauce.
- Peel and chop the onion and wash the basil leaves. Sauté the onion in olive oil until it starts to soften. Then add the tomato passata and basil leaves. Mix and simmer for about 20 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Finish and serve.
- Cook the ravioli in boiling salted water. Fresh ravioli only needs about 5minutes. But, try one before removing them all from the water. Frozen ravioli may take a bit longer. If using frozen, don’t add too many to the pot at once as this will lower the water temperature. Cook the ravioli in batches. You can remove them with a slotted spoon and then cook another batch.
- Serve immediately dressed with the tomato sauce and some grated cheese (if required).
Notes
To make this recipe vegetarian omit the cheese when serving or use a vegetarian parmesan. Italian Parmigiano and Grana are made with animal rennet, so not for vegetarians.
Nutrition
Calories: 615kcal | Carbohydrates: 92g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 135mg | Sodium: 131mg | Potassium: 697mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1085IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 210mg | Iron: 7mg