Lemon Ricotta Tortellini

Makes 30 - 40 tortellini

Ingredients:

• 6 oz baby spinach
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 8 oz ricotta
• ¼ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano, plus more for garnish
• ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1 recipe Two Egg Pasta (see below)

Directions:

1. In a large sauté pan over medium heat, melt butter; add the spinach and cover to wilt, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the cover and let the spinach dry out a little, then season with ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper.
2. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the ricotta, Parmigiano Reggiano, nutmeg, lemon zest, spinach, and a pinch of salt and pepper, and puree until smooth.  Set aside.
3. Divide the pasta dough into 4 pieces. Using a pasta machine, roll the dough out, starting at the widest setting and ending with the second-thinnest setting. Cut out the tortellini with a round (approximately 3” dia.) cookie/biscuit cutter. Place a scant teaspoon of ricotta filling in the center.  Moisten the edges of the circle by dipping your finger in water and following the outer edge.  Fold the circle over the filling so you have a half moon shape.  Press the dough together and make sure to remove all air from inside.  Curl the tortellini around your little finger, bringing the ends together and pressing to hold together.
4. Bring 6 quarts of salted water to a soft boil. Gently place the tortellini (about 8 – 10 at a time) in the boiling water, cook for 3 minutes, and then remove with a slotted spoon. Repeat for the remaining tortellini. 

Tortellini is traditionally served in a broth.

Two Egg Pasta

Adapted from Lidia’s Family Table

Makes 1 pound of pasta

Ingredients:

• This is firm, flavorful and light, an excellent carrier for all sauces and a great pasta for beginners.
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tbsp water (more or less)

Directions:

1. In the food processor, place flour in the bowl and pulse it a few times to aerate the flour.
2. In a container with a spout, beat the eggs.  Add the oil and then enough water to make 7 ounces of wet ingredients.  With the processor running, add the egg/oil mixture through the feed tube.  Allow the dough to process for 30 seconds (and no more than 40 seconds).  It will be partially clumped into a ball.  Turn all of the dough out onto plastic wrap and work it into a ball then knead it for a minute or so until it is smooth and shiny.  Pat it into a disk and wrap it in the plastic and allow it to rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
3. Cut the dough into four pieces.  Take one piece to begin rolling in the pasta machine and keep the other three covered.  Dust a baking sheet covered with parchment paper or a dish towel with flour.  On your pasta machine, turn the knob to the widest setting (1).  Take your dough and press it into a circle or rectangle and pass it through the machine.  Then fold it and pass it through again.  Continue this process until you have run the dough piece through at least 8 times.  This will make the dough more resilient and workable.  Do this with all four pieces.
4. Next, set the pasta machine to the next setting (2).  Take your dough and run it through at this setting.  Do not fold it again.  Change the setting to (4) and pass the short end of the dough through the machine.  Continue this process using every other setting until you can almost see through your dough.  As you finish each piece of dough, keep it dusted with flour so it does not stick together.
5. You are now ready to cut your dough into shapes.  This pasta dough works well made into almost any shape.  You can make long thin strands, wide strips for lasagna or for stuffed pastas like ravioli.