Vegetarian Ravioli with Ricotta Cheese Recipe

get the best flavour from Parmesan cheese is to always grate it yourself, rather than buying ready-grated Parmesan.

Ingredients

To make the filling
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 egg yolk
• ½ pound ricotta cheese
• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

To make the dough
• 2 cups bread flour, sifted
• Pinch of salt
• 3 eggs

To make the tomato sauce
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tbsp flour
• 1¾ cup canned tomatoes
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 tbsp heavy cream

1. Place the butter into the bowl of an electronic mixer; beat to a cream. Add in egg yolk and blend in well with butter. Scrap mixture into a separate bowl.
2. Add ricotta cheese into electronic mixing bowl and beat to a cream. Gradually add in butter and egg cream-mixture, mixing together until smooth. Add in Parmesan cheese, parsley and salt and pepper and set aside.
3. Pour sifted flour into a large clean mixing bowl along with a pinch of salt. Form a well in the centre and pour in the eggs. Using a wooden spoon, fold the flour and eggs together. Once mixed, knead flour and eggs together, by hand, until dough is smooth. Allow to rest for 15 minutes. 
4. Lightly flour a flat clean surface and roll the dough out, thinly. Shape into a rectangle and cut in half. Take filling and shape into small balls. Place them onto one half of the dough, ½ inch apart from each other. Once done, place other dough half on top.
5. Using a pastry cutter, or a very sharp long knife, cut out ravioli into squares and seal the edges with a fork.
6. Fill a large wide pan with water over medium-high heat. Sprinkle in salt and bring to a boil. In batches, add in ravioli squares and cook until tender, which should take about 8 minutes per batch. Using a slotted spoon, remove ravioli and set aside. Repeat for next batch.
7. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add onion and fry until it turns a golden colour. Stir in bay leaf, basil and flour and cook for 1 minute. Take pan off heat and gradually pour in canned tomatoes, stirring constantly. Sprinkle in salt and freshly ground pepper.   
8. Once sauce mixture is blended well, press sauce through a sieve and return pan back onto the stove over medium heat. Simmer for 5 minutes and remove bay leaf. Add in cream and stir until well blended with sauce.
9. Divide ravioli onto individual plates and coat with sauce. Serve immediately.

Serves 4