Zelinda's Ricotta Ravioli

Yum!!! Nothing says comfort food like my mom's cooking. You can buy pasta dough but nothing comes close to homemade. Combine that with the simplest ricotta filling and you're in heaven. Granted, the recipe is a bit time consuming but well worth the effort. You might even have some extra dough to make fettucini which you can freeze for later use. Just a little reminder: when making the dough make sure it is moist to allow the filling to seal well, as my mom's recipe does not call for egg wash. So if you dare, why not go for it!
I have provided the recipe from my previous post on homemade pasta dough (March 24, 2010), but for a step by step pictorial tutorial go to "archives", or simply use the search engine on the blog to access the instructional  photos.




Pasta Dough

4 Cups of all purpose flour
6 large eggs
Place the flour on a clean surface (a counter or large wooden board). Make a well in the center of the flour. Break the eggs into the well and lightly beat with a fork. Start incorporating the flour a little at a time. Continue blending in the flour with your fingertips. The amount of flour used will depend on the size of the eggs and the humidity. You may not need all the flour.
Remove excess flour from the work surface and start kneading your dough on this lightly floured area. Knead for about 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let stand in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
Roll out the dough into a 9 inch disk and cut into 6 pieces. I start my machine at #6 and roll each piece through the slot. I then lower it to #4 and roll the dough pieces once again. Continue this process until #1, which will give you a thin dough. The dough should be moist to ensure that the ravioli filling is sealed inside.


Ricotta Filling
500 grams ricotta (about 16 ounces)
2 egg yolks

In a bowl add the ricotta and the egg yolks and beat with a fork or wooden spoon to combine. Set aside.



Directions:
Dust your work surface with flour, and lay out a 5" wide by 18" long sheet of the pasta dough. Place a spoonful of the ricotta filling on half of the dough, and continue spooning the filling 2 inches apart along the length of the sheet of pasta dough. Fold the unfilled dough over the ricotta filling. Using your fingers, press gently around the ricotta filling to remove any air pockets and to seal the filling.
With a crimper, cut into half moons and press the edges gently to insure the filling is sealed.
Drop the ravioli in a large pot of salted, boiling water. Gently boil for approximately 5 minutes. Usually, they will rise to the surface when they are done. Serve with marinara sauce and grated peccorino cheese.