Questa pasta era deliziosa! (This pasta was delicious!) I am slowly starting to learn some Italian using Rosetta Stone. I hope to be able to communicate a little bit when we arrive, or at least be familiar with some vocabulary.
I'm not sure if it was partly due to our extreme hunger after an incredibly long day, but this Agnolotti Primavera was a hit at our house. We may not have gotten to sit down to eat it until 9:38 pm (How sad is that?), but it was worth the wait. I wish I could capture the yummy noises that my Hubby was making while he ate so you could hear. He's hilariously enthusiastic about trying new recipes, which makes my life much more fun. I was worried that since it only makes 4 agnolotti, that it wouldn't be enough for a meal. I was mistaken. It was so incredibly filling! The prosciutto was a great addition. (Side note: We are hooked on prosciutto now.) Don't let the "half-moon" description throw you off...this recipe instructs you to make 4 giant square pasta pillows. I think I will try using this recipe again to make average sized ravioli also. I got a new ravioli press last week on my Williams-Sonoma coupon-spending trip and I think that if I omit the egg yolk, it would be great.
Agnolotti Primavera (Half-Moon Pasta with Spinach and Ricotta filling)
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: Serves 2
Ingredients
For the filling-
- 1 ½ cups ricotta, passed through a food mill
- ½ lb. spinach, boiled, dried, cooled, and finely chopped (to make ½ cup)
- ½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggianno, plus more for serving
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1 large slice prosciutto cotto, cut into 4 squares (about 4 oz.)
For the pasta-
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
- 2 large eggs
For the Sauce-
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- Salt
Instructions
- Combine the ricotta, spinach, and half the Parmigiano-Reggiano in a bowl and mix well to obtain a homogenous mixture; set aside in a cool place.
- Use the flour and eggs to prepare a pasta dough as directed in the Homemade Pasta Dough (Method) and let rest 20 minutes before rolling out.
- Roll the dough out to obtain thin sheets, then use a pastry wheel to cut out 8 squares about 6 inches on a side.
- At the center of four of the squares place a lump of one-fourth of the ricotta and spinach mixture, forming this into a kind of nest with a well in the middle. Put an egg yolk into each of these opening, covering it with a square of prosciutto; cover the prosciutto with a second square of pasta dough and press down around the edges to seal. (If necessary, dampen the dough with a little water to make a better seal.)
- Melt the butter in a small pan over low heat, add the shallot, and gently cook until it is translucent. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Fill a pot two-thirds full with lightly salted water.Heat over high heat, and when the water boils, lower the heat and delicately lower the agnolotti into the water one at a time, cooking for a few minutes and then removing them with a slotted spoon and setting them out to dry on a plate. (You want to cook the pasta and warm the filling, but not cook the yolk through.)
- When all the agnolotti are cooked, sprinkle them with Parmigiano-Reggiano Rewarm the shallot butter and pour over the agnolotti.
- Buon Appetito!
Notes
Adapted from: La Cucina- The Regional Cooking of Italy by The Italian Academy of Cuisine
Update (July 31, 2014)-
I have made this recipe a few times since I originally wrote this post, and it works wonderfully every time. It also works great as a regular-size ravioli. To make the ravioli filling, simply beat the egg and stir it in with the spinach-ricotta mixture and either omit the prosciutto or mince it and stir it into the filling mixture. Prepare the pasta dough as directed, fill the ravioli, cook, and serve with marinara sauce.
milkandbun
Wow! its should be incredibly tasty!!!! Mouthwatering dish!!!