Can You Give Me The Recipe For Spinach Ravioli?

Ravioli is a popluar type of pasta. Fillings are not always meat based and ricotta cheese and vegetables can be used for a vegetarian option.

For spinach ravioli, you can use either frozen or fresh spinach. Either one would be suitable. However if you do choose to use frozen spinach them make sure you squeeze out the water after it has thawed to prevent watery ravioli.

For this recipe you will need: 14 ounces of spinach or 6 oz froxen spinach, 3/4 cup of ricotta cheese, 1 egg, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese (grated), some basic egg pasta dough.

If you decide to use fresh spinach, then wash and stem it well. Cook in a saucepan with a small amount of water for around 5 minutes. Drain it. Let the spinach cool and squeeze out as much water as you can. Combine the chopped spinach, egg, ricotta cheese and parmesan cheese. Mix them well and season with salt and pepper. Cover it up whilst preparing the dough. Roll out the sheets of pasta very thin, making sure it doesn't dry out. If you have some metal pans for making ravioli then use these, but you can still make it if you don't. Use small teaspoons of the filling to place in rows approximately 2 inches apart on the dough. Place another layer of dough on top, and press down lightly around the mounds. Cook for around 5 minutes in lots of boiling salt water.

If you wish to make the ravioli dough yourself then you will need: 2 cups of all purpose flour, one teaspoon of salt, 2 TB of unsalted butter and 1/2 cup of boiling water.

Place the flour and salt in a food processor and add the butter and pulse until the texture is similar to rough cornmeal. Add water slowly with the machine running. Flour a surface and gather the dough into a ball. Knead it lightly until it is smooth. Divide the dough and set one half aside (covered) so that you can work on the other half. Flour a surface again and roll out the dough to 1/8 inch thickness. Use a round cutter (3 inch in diameter) to cut out dough rounds. Use a tablespoon to place filling on 1/2 of the rounds. Position an unfilled round on top of another and use your thumb and forefinger to press the edges of the dough firmly together. Add a little water to the edges if they don't seal properly. Dust a surface with cornmeal and place the rounds on top and cover with either plastic wrap or a towel. Use the other half of the dough to repeat the procedure.

You can store completed ravioli for a few hours before it is cooked. If you wish to freeze your ravioli, then place them on a cookie sheet and freeze them until firm, storing them in a plastic bag for 2-3 months. Frozen ravioli should be cooked for 9-10 minutes and 3-4 minutes for fresh. Use salted water for both and cook until they rise to the top.