Ingredients
Nettle pasta dough
Method
Main
1.For nettle pasta dough, blanch nettles until bright green (30 seconds), drain, refresh, squeeze out excess water, very finely chop, combine with flour and eggs in a food processor and process to combine. Turn onto a work surface, knead until smooth (3-5 minutes), wrap in plastic wrap and set aside to rest at room temperature (1 hour).
2.Meanwhile, process cheeses, yolks, and nutmeg in a food processor until combined, season to taste and refrigerate until required.
3.Divide dough into four, then, working with one piece at a time, feed through pasta machine rollers, starting at the widest setting. Lightly flour dough as you fold and feed it through, reducing settings notch by notch until you reach the narrowest setting. Place tablespoons of ricotta filling at 2cm intervals along half the pasta sheets. Brush around fillings with eggwash, top with remaining pasta and press gently around filling to seal. Cut ravioli squares with a pastry wheel, transfer to a lightly floured tray, refrigerate until required.
4.Blanch cavolo nero (1-2 minutes), drain, refresh and set aside. Heat oil and butter in a frying pan over medium-high heat, add garlic, raisins, thyme and cavolo nero and stir occasionally until garlic is tender (1-2 minutes).
5.Cook ravioli in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until al dente (2-3 minutes), drain, add to frying pan and toss to combine. Serve hot scattered with extra cheeses and thyme.
Note Uncooked nettles really do sting; wear rubber gloves and wash them well under cold running water before blanching them.
This recipe is from the April 2012 issue of Australian Gourmet Traveller.
Notes