Ingredients
Serves 6400g (2⅔ cups) ‘00’ pasta flour*
4 eggs
60ml (¼ cup) olive oil
3 lemons, juiced
5 globe artichokes
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp finely chopped mint leaves
2 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
200g butter, chopped
½ cup sage leaves
20g baby spinach
Extra virgin olive oil and shaved parmesan, to serve
Method
Preparation: 25 Mins
Cooking: 1¼ Hr
1. To make pasta dough, place flour, eggs, 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon salt in a food processor and process until mixture comes together (add some cold water, half teaspoon at a time, if the mixture is too dry). Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 5 minutes or until smooth. Shape into a log, then wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes or until needed.
2. To make artichoke filling, fill a large bowl with water. Juice 2 lemons, then add the juice and juiced lemons to the bowl. Snap off the outer leaves of the artichokes until you reach pale leaves, then cut off one-third of artichokes from the top. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the tough outer skin from the stalks, then trim stalks to 3cm. Cut artichokes in half and place in lemon water to prevent browning.
3. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add juice from remaining lemon. Drain artichokes, then add to the pan. Discard lemons. Reduce heat to low, cover with a lid and simmer for 35 minutes or until tender. Drain. Place, cut-side down, on a tea towel. Cool. Using a teaspoon, scoop hairy chokes from centres.
4. Preheat a chargrill pan over high heat. Brush artichoke halves with remaining two tablespoons oil, then cook for 3 minutes each side or until browned. Process artichokes, vinegar, mint and parsley in a food processor to a coarse paste, then season. Set aside.
5. Cut dough into 4 and wrap 3 pieces in plastic wrap to prevent them drying out. Using a rolling pin, roll out 1 piece of dough until 3mm thick and about 12cm wide (nearly the width of a pasta machine). Set machine at its thickest setting (one), then feed dough through, narrowing the settings on your machine one notch at a time until you reach the thinnest setting (six). Repeat with remaining dough.
6. To make ravioli, place pasta sheets on a lightly floured work surface. Place half teaspoons of filling at intervals, 2cm up from the bottom of the sheet and 3cm apart. Brush around filling with water, then fold sheet in half lengthwise to enclose the filling. Press gently between filling to remove air pockets. Using a fluted pastry wheel or sharp knife, cut into 4.5cm squares. Makes 42.
7. Cook ravioli, in 2 batches, in a large saucepan of boiling salted water for 6 minutes or until cooked. Reserve 250ml (1 cup) cooking water.
8. Melt butter in a large frying pan over medium–high heat. Add sage and cook for 1 minute or until butter starts to foam. Add reserved water and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes or until slightly thickened. Add ravioli and spinach, and toss to combine. Season.
9. Divide among bowls. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and season with freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately with shaved parmesan.
Note: ‘00’ pasta flour is a super-fine Italian flour used for making pasta, and is available from supermarkets and delis.
Tip: For a cheat’s ravioli, use round Double Merino Gow Gee Pastry, from selected supermarkets and Asian grocers, instead of making pasta. Place 42 gow gee wrappers on a work surface, then place 1 teaspoon of the artichoke mixture in the middle of each wrapper. Brush edges with water or beaten egg, then fold wrappers in half and firmly press edges together to seal.