Ravioli with Ricotta and Spinach

“This is a traditional Italian dish that I grew up with and absolutely love,” says Accursio Lotà, Solare Ristorante’s executive chef. “It is typically made for a Sunday lunch, and the kitchen in my home began getting busy at 6:30 a.m. to prepare and cook all the ingredients — so much fun!” Accursio adds his own twist by including nutmeg in the recipe. He recommends that the freshest spinach possible be used and suggests Suzie’s Farm as a source.

Ravioli with Ricotta and Spinach
Serves 6

For the pasta: 

1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour 

3/4 c. semolina flour

1 t. sea salt

6 large eggs 

1 T. extra-virgin olive oil

Combine the flours and salt on a large wooden cutting board. Mound the flours and make a well in the middle. Add the eggs and olive oil to the well and beat together with a fork.

Gradually incorporate the flour, starting with the inner rim of the well. Keep pushing the flour up to retain the well shape.

Knead the dough with the palms of your hands, adding flour in 1/2-cup increments if the dough is too sticky. Once the dough is a cohesive mass, set it aside and scrape the board clean.

Lightly flour the board and knead the dough a few more minutes. When the dough is elastic, wrap it in plastic wrap and let it sit for 20 minutes.

Press the dough into a rectangle and roll through a pasta machine, making it thinner each time until you reach a thickness of 1 mm. Cut the dough into two 12-by-4-inch sheets.

For the filling:

1 small shallot 

3 T. extra-virgin olive oil 

2 lb. organic spinach 

3 c. fresh cow-milk ricotta

3/4 c. freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano 

1/2 T. ground nutmeg

Sea salt to taste

Black pepper to taste

In a large pot, cook the shallot in oil until translucent. Add spinach and sauté. After the spinach cools, press it to remove excess water and chop.

In a bowl, mix the spinach with the remaining ingredients.

For the ravioli:

1 egg

1 T. water

Beat egg with water. Dust the pasta sheets with the egg wash.

Place a pasta sheet on a wooden table. Spoon about 1 T. of filling every 3 inches.

Gently lay the other sheet of pasta over the filling and, using a pasta cutter, cut the pasta into uniform squares. Moisten and crimp the edges with a fork to make a tight seal.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add ravioli and cook until al dente and filling is heated through. Use a slotted spoon to transfer ravioli to serving dish.

Note: Refrigerate the pasta if not cooking it immediately.

Executive Chef Accursio Lotà
Solare Ristorante
Liberty Station
2820 Roosevelt Road
Point Loma, CA 92106
619-270-9670
solarelounge.com