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Green ravioli with pecorino and butter sauce

A herb-powered pasta, a rich butter sauce – it's a combination that can't be beat.

By Lisa Featherby
  • 30 mins preparation
  • 10 mins cooking (plus resting)
  • Serves 6, Makes 12 ravioli
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When making your own pasta, it's worth keeping the sauce simple and letting the ravioli be the hero. If you can't find fresh pecorino, use an equal amount of well-drained ricotta mixed with grated ricotta salata or aged pecorino.

Ingredients

  • 200 gm fresh pecorino (see note), coarsely grated
  • 1 egg, lightly whisked, for eggwash
  • 100 gm butter
  • 3 tsp thyme leaves
  • 50 ml dry white wine
  • Purslane and thyme sprigs, to serve
  • Shaved aged pecorino, to serve
Rocket and parsley pasta dough
  • 2 bunches rocket, trimmed
  • 1 cup (firmly packed) flat-leaf parsley
  • 510 gm "00" flour
  • 1 egg

Method

  • 1
    For pasta dough, blanch rocket and parsley in a saucepan of boiling water until bright green (1 minute). Drain and refresh in iced water, then squeeze out excess water. Transfer to a food processor and process until finely chopped. Add flour and egg, and process until a dough forms. Transfer to a floured surface and knead until smooth, adding extra flour or water as necessary, to form a smooth dough. Cover with a damp cloth and set aside to rest (30 minutes).
  • 2
    Line a tray with baking paper. Divide pasta dough into 6 pieces. Working with one piece at a time, flatten, then roll through a pasta machine, starting on the widest setting and dusting with flour as necessary. Fold in half and repeat until pasta is smooth and silky, then continue rolling and folding, reducing the settings notch by notch, until dough is 1-2mm thick. Cut out squares with an 8cm-square cutter and place on prepared tray. Repeat with each piece of dough, separating each layer of squares with a sheet of baking paper and covering with a damp tea towel until all dough is rolled and cut.
  • 3
    Working in batches, place half the pasta squares in a row and place 1 heaped tsp fresh pecorino into centre of each. Brush edges with eggwash, then place another square on top. Starting closely around filling, press outwards to seal completely, then trim to a 7cm square with a pasta cutter. Place on a tray lined with baking paper, separating each layer with more baking paper, then refrigerate until required.
  • 4
    Heat butter in a wide deep frying pan over high heat. Add thyme leaves and toss to combine until tender (2 minutes). Add white wine
    and bring to a simmer, then season to taste.
  • 5
    Cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until just cooked (2-3 minutes). Remove with a slotted spoon and add to pan with sauce, tossing gently to coat in the sauce.
  • 6
    To serve, divide ravioli among bowls, spoon over butter sauce, and top with purslane, thyme and aged pecorino.

Notes

Note Fresh pecorino is available from select Italian cheese shops and delicatessens.