Recipes From Our Kitchen

Method

• In a large frying pan, heat the extra virgin olive oil and add the 3 pieces of meat. Sauté the meat slowly for about 1 hour (cooking time depends on the size of the meat), turning meat every so often so it cooks evenly. Salt to taste. When the meat is cooked, place it on a cutting board and chop with a mezzaluna. (If instead you use a blender, be careful not to transform the filling into a cream). Place the meat in a bowl and stir in the Parmesan Cheese and the eggs. Salt to taste and if desired, add a pinch of nutmeg and black pepper.

  Cook the escarole in boiling water for 1-2 minutes. Drain well and chop into small pieces before adding to the meat mixture. Combine well and set aside. This is the filling for your ravioli.

  Prepare the dough by pouring the flour on a work surface and making a well in the center. In the center, add the eggs and salt. Using a fork, beat together the eggs and begin to incorporate the flour. The dough will start to come together when half of the flour is incorporated. Start kneading the dough, using the palms of your hands, for about 15 minutes, adding any of the remaining flour, until you obtain a supple, slightly sticky dough. Wrap the dough in plastic film, and leave to rest at room temperature. After 30 minutes, pass the dough several times though a pasta machine until you have a thin sheet, using the smallest machine setting. Assemble ravioli by cutting long strips of pasta about 5cm wide and spooning amounts of filling along one half of each strip. Fold dough over and press around each spoon of filling to close. Using a pasta cutter or even a knife, cut between one ravioli and the next. Continue until all pasta and filling has been used.

  Cook the ravioli in abundant boiling salted water for 4 minutes; they’ll float to the top when ready, so be careful not to overcrowd the pot. While your pasta cooks, melt the butter in a large sauté pan and continue cooking until golden brown in color. Add sage leaves and remove from heat. Drain the pasta and but save some cooking water. Add the pasta to the pan with the butter, add a little cooking water and return to heat. Add the cheese, toss to blend and serve immediately.

  **In times of old, when these ravioli were made for special occasions, often there were not enough plates to go around and the ravioli were served ‘al tovagliolo’ or ‘on the napkin’. In other words, once drained, they would be laid out on an immaculate linen napkin. They can be served with butter and sage, or with a roast meat sauce, meat ragù, and when in season, with butter and white truffle.