Goat’s Cheese Ravioli

Another recipe from the mighty Yotam Ottolenghi. Perfect for an anniversary meal. x

Preparation time: 30 minutes plus 1 ½ hours chilling
Cooking time: about 5 minutes
Skill level: Medium
Serves: 2

Ingredients
For the pasta

• olive oil – 3 tbsp
• 3 medium eggs
• ’00’ flour – 330g plus more for rolling
• turmeric – ½ tsp
• grated zest of 3 lemons
• semolina

For the filling

• goat’s cheese – 300g
• sea salt – ½ tsp
• chilli flakes – pinch
• 1 egg white, beaten
• freshly ground black pepper

To serve

• pink peppercorns – 2tsp – crushed (we didn’t have any)
• tarragon – 1tsp – roughly chopped (we used sage)
• grated zest of 1 lemon
• lemon juice (optional)
• rapeseed oil

Mix the oil and eggs together.

Put the flour, turmeric and zest in a food processor, add the oil and egg mix, and blend to a crumbly dough (it may require extra flour or oil). Once the dough has come together and is smooth (you may need to work it a little by hand, too), divide it into four thick, rectangular blocks. Wrap in clingfilm and chill for at least 30 minutes.

Dust a work surface with flour. Take a piece of dough and flatten with a rolling pin. Continue to roll until it is as thin as you can possibly make it … or use a pasta machine.

Use a fork to crush all the filling ingredients together, apart from the egg white.

Using a pastry cutter, stamp out pasta circles roughly 7cm in diameter. Brush each with egg white and place a heaped teaspoon of filling in its centre. Place another disc on top and, with fingers dipped in flour, squeeze out any air as you bring the edges of the discs together. You should end up with a pillow-shaped centre surrounded by a 1cm edge. Tighten the edges until you can’t see a seam.

Repeat with the rest of the dough, place the ravioli on a tray sprinkled with semolina.

Cover with clingfilm and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta for two to three minutes, until al dente, drain and plate. Sprinkle with pink peppercorns, tarragon and lemon zest. Then drizzle with rapeseed oil, sprinkle with salt, squirt with lemon juice and serve.

Verdict: Excellent. Mildly lemony and pleasantly goaty.

Drink: Bubbly pink followed by still red.

Entertainment: Sat at the table like grown ups.