Rainbow Chard Ravioli Recipe
Photo: Jennifer Tyler Lee
Makes 4 dozen ravioli
For the filling:8 ounces chard (about 5 large leaves, or most of a bunch)
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg
1/2 tsp. fine sea salt
Pinch nutmeg
For the pasta: 2 cups all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup water, or, as needed
For serving: 2 Tbsp. melted butter
Grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Make the filling: Tear the chard leaves off the stems, then wash them carefully, by dunking in a large bowl of water. Place in a steamer and cook 8 to 10 minutes, until very tender.
Let cool, then squeeze as much liquid as you can from the chard. Place in a food processor and chop fine, scraping the sides of the bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and pulse to combine. (You can make this filling a day ahead. Cover tightly and refrigerate.)
Make the pasta dough: Place the flour in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and add the eggs and oil. Use a fork to lightly whisk the eggs, slowly incorporating the flour as you go. Add a small amount of water. Continue mixing, adding more water, as needed, to form a dough that holds together.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured board and knead, by hand, for about 5 minutes, until smooth and no longer sticky. Wrap in plastic wrap and let rest 15 minutes to 1 hour.
Roll the dough: Grasp a handful of dough (keep the remaining dough wrapped) and flatten it until it's about 1/4-inch thick. Roll it through the largest setting of the pasta machine. Fold the piece into thirds like a letter, then turn and run through again. Repeat this twice to get the dough into a somewhat rectangular shape.
Continue rolling the dough, using smaller and smaller settings on the pasta machine until you have a very long piece about as wide as the pasta machine.
Cut the piece in half and place one half on a clean surface. Space out teaspoonfuls of the filling on the dough, 1 inch apart with a 1/2-inch margin on the top and bottom. Drape the other piece of pasta on top, then gently press down to remove air from the empty spaces around the filling. Cut out the ravioli with a knife, ravioli cutter or sharp pastry cutter to make 2-inch-size square ravioli with about a 1/2-inch margin around the filling. Try to keep the margins free of filling so they seal well. Press down any edges that aren't sealed.
Place the finished ravioli in one layer on a baking sheet and cover with a clean kitchen towel while you finish the remaining ravioli, using more baking sheets, if needed. (You can save scraps, called malfatti, to serve with pasta sauce for another meal. Spread out on a baking sheet to dry, or freeze, then boil and toss with sauce.) If you'd like to serve the ravioli later, you can freeze them on their baking pans until firm, then transfer to zip-top bags to store.
To cook, bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add ravioli, 12 to 20 at a time, and cook 2 to 3 minutes, until the pasta is very tender but not falling apart. Drain and gently toss with melted butter, then keep warm while you finish the remaining pasta. Top with Parmesan, or another sauce of your choice.
Ingredients
For the filling:
For the pasta:
For serving:
Directions
Make the filling: Tear the chard leaves off the stems, then wash them carefully, by dunking in a large bowl of water. Place in a steamer and cook 8 to 10 minutes, until very tender.
Let cool, then squeeze as much liquid as you can from the chard. Place in a food processor and chop fine, scraping the sides of the bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and pulse to combine. (You can make this filling a day ahead. Cover tightly and refrigerate.)
Make the pasta dough: Place the flour in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and add the eggs and oil. Use a fork to lightly whisk the eggs, slowly incorporating the flour as you go. Add a small amount of water. Continue mixing, adding more water, as needed, to form a dough that holds together.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured board and knead, by hand, for about 5 minutes, until smooth and no longer sticky. Wrap in plastic wrap and let rest 15 minutes to 1 hour.
Roll the dough: Grasp a handful of dough (keep the remaining dough wrapped) and flatten it until it's about 1/4-inch thick. Roll it through the largest setting of the pasta machine. Fold the piece into thirds like a letter, then turn and run through again. Repeat this twice to get the dough into a somewhat rectangular shape.
Continue rolling the dough, using smaller and smaller settings on the pasta machine until you have a very long piece about as wide as the pasta machine.
Cut the piece in half and place one half on a clean surface. Space out teaspoonfuls of the filling on the dough, 1 inch apart with a 1/2-inch margin on the top and bottom. Drape the other piece of pasta on top, then gently press down to remove air from the empty spaces around the filling. Cut out the ravioli with a knife, ravioli cutter or sharp pastry cutter to make 2-inch-size square ravioli with about a 1/2-inch margin around the filling. Try to keep the margins free of filling so they seal well. Press down any edges that aren't sealed.
Place the finished ravioli in one layer on a baking sheet and cover with a clean kitchen towel while you finish the remaining ravioli, using more baking sheets, if needed. (You can save scraps, called malfatti, to serve with pasta sauce for another meal. Spread out on a baking sheet to dry, or freeze, then boil and toss with sauce.) If you'd like to serve the ravioli later, you can freeze them on their baking pans until firm, then transfer to zip-top bags to store.
To cook, bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add ravioli, 12 to 20 at a time, and cook 2 to 3 minutes, until the pasta is very tender but not falling apart. Drain and gently toss with melted butter, then keep warm while you finish the remaining pasta. Top with Parmesan, or another sauce of your choice.
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