Spinach Filling For Cannelloni Ravioli And Tortellini Recipes

SPINACH, FETA, AND PINE NUT RAVIOLI FILLING

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the spinach until fully wilted, about 2 minutes. Let cool, then squeeze the spinach to remove as much liquid as you can.
• Combine the cooked spinach, feta, and pine nuts in a blender or food processor and pulse until it is the consistency of a fine paste. Beat the egg and water together in a small bowl.
• To assemble the ravioli, brush the egg over a sheet of pasta. Drop the filling mixture on the dough by teaspoonfuls about one inch apart. Cover the filling with the top sheet of pasta, pressing out the air from around each portion of filling. Press firmly around the filling in whatever shape you wish (circles, squares) and then cut them apart. Press the tines of a fork around the edges of the pasta to seal each raviolo.
• Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, add the ravioli, stir gently, and return to a boil. Cook uncovered until the ravioli float to the top and the filling is hot, about 3 to 5 minutes.

MEAT AND SPINACH RAVIOLI FILLING

Steps:

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and stir in the ground beef. Cook and stir until the beef is crumbly, evenly browned, and no longer pink. Drain and discard any excess grease. Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
• Transfer the beef mixture to a bowl. Add the Parmesan, parsley, bread crumbs, olive oil, egg, garlic salt, and pepper and mix well. Run the filling through a grinder until smooth (or puree in a food processor until smooth).
• The filling can be kept in the refrigerator for up to four days or in the freezer for up to three months.

SPINACH & RICOTTA CANNELLONI

Steps:

• First make the tomato sauce. Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the garlic for 1 min. Add the sugar, vinegar, tomatoes and some seasoning and simmer for 20 mins, stirring occasionally, until thick. Add the basil and divide the sauce between 2 or more shallow ovenproof dishes (see Tips for freezing, below). Set aside. Make a sauce by beating the mascarpone with the milk until smooth, season, then set aside.
• Put the spinach in a large colander and pour over a kettle of boiling water to wilt it (you may need to do this in batches). When cool enough to handle squeeze out the excess water. Roughly chop the spinach and mix in a large bowl with 100g Parmesan and ricotta. Season well with salt, pepper and the nutmeg.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Using a piping bag or plastic food bag with the corner snipped off, squeeze the filling into the cannelloni tubes. Lay the tubes, side by side, on top of the tomato sauce and spoon over the mascarpone sauce. Top with Parmesan and mozzarella. You can now freeze the cannelloni, uncooked, or you can cook it first and then freeze. Bake for 30-35 mins until golden and bubbling. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 mins before serving.

SPINACH FILLING FOR CANNELLONI, RAVIOLI AND TORTELLINI

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a saucepan and saute the onion and garlic until golden; steam spinach until well wilted; remove from heat, cool enough to handle, and squeeze dry.
• Combine onion mixture and spinach; stir in cheeses and beat in seasonings, eggs and parsley; refrigerate until ready to stuff pasta.

TORTELLINI WITH SPINACH-RICOTTA FILLING AND PARMESAN SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat the butter and garlic a large saute pan over medium-high heat. When the garlic is lightly browned, about 1 minute, stir in the spinach, season with salt and pepper and continue cooking until wilted. Transfer the cooked spinach to a colander to drain and cool, about 15 minutes. When cooled, gently squeeze the spinach dry, chop it and put in a medium bowl. Fold in the ricotta. Season well with salt and pepper.
• Roll out the pasta: Divide the pasta dough in half, working with one half at a time and keeping the other piece wrapped. Set up a pasta roller attachment on a stand mixer (or secure a hand roller to the side of your work surface). Lightly flour a work surface and roll out your dough until it is thin enough to pass through the pasta roller. Set your roller to the widest setting. Turn on the pasta roller and pass the dough through once. Fold the rolled-out piece of dough over itself, and then pass through the roller again. If the edges begin to fray or the dough gets sticky or damp, lightly dust both sides with flour. Repeat six or seven more times, until the dough is smooth. Adjust the roller to the second widest setting, dust both sides of the dough with flour, and pass it through twice (without folding). Repeat, adjusting to a thinner setting each time and passing through twice, until the dough is thin enough that it is slightly translucent.
• Fill the tortellini: Dust a work surface and rimmed baking sheet with semolina flour. Lay out the sheet of fresh pasta on the prepared surface and trim into 3 pieces. Cut the pasta sheets into 2-to 3-inch rounds (for tortellini) or squares (for cappelletti). Lightly dampen the pasta with a mister or brush and spoon a teaspoon-sized mound of filling in the center of each piece of pasta. Fold it in half to create a triangle (for square pasta) or a half-moon (for round pasta). Press firmly to seal the edges and eliminate any air. Grab the folded corners of the pasta and place a finger at the center of the folded side of the pasta. Pull the edges around your finger and press the ends together to seal, creating a little pasta "ring" around your finger. Remove your finger and transfer the finished stuffed pasta to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining pieces.
• Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rapid boil while you prepare the sauce.
• Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat, then turn off the stove while you cook the pasta
• Drop the tortellini into the boiling water and stir immediately. Leave the tortellini to cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3 minutes.
• Use a spider or slotted spoon to transfer the cooked pasta to the melted butter along with 1/2 cup pasta water. Stir to combine and simmer over medium heat for 1 minute, then add the Parmesan. Add some basil and toss to combine. Serve with additional grated Parmesan, if desired.
• Mound the flour in the center of a clean countertop or cutting board. Make a well in the center of the flour 3 to 4 inches wide.
• Crack the eggs into the well and add a pinch of salt. Using a fork, break the yolks and begin to beat the eggs as you would if making scrambled eggs.
• Continue stirring the eggs with a fork in large circles, slowly incorporating the flour. When the eggs form a thick mass and become difficult to stir, about 3 minutes, fold the loose flour from the edges into the pile with a bench scraper and knead until a smooth dough forms. Discard any excess flour.
• Shape the dough into a flat disk, wrap tightly with plastic wrap and set aside to rest for 20 minutes before rolling. If waiting more than 1 hour, refrigerate or freeze the dough. The dough will keep refrigerated for up to 24 hours.

RAVIOLI WITH SPINACH

Steps:

• In a small bowl, stir 3 or 4 tablespoons of flour into the egg-and-water mixture. Place the 3 cups of flour on a working surface and make a well in the center. Slowly pour the egg mixture into the well, working the liquid into the flour as you go. Knead for at least 15 minutes. The dough should be so stiff that when you poke it with your finger it doesn't bounce back immediately. If the dough is still sticky, add some of the remaining flour as needed.
• Cut the dough into two pieces, wrap in plastic wrap and chill overnight in the refrigerator.
• In a large bowl, mix the meats with the egg. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• In a small saute pan, heat the 2 teaspoons of olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and saute until soft. Add the well-drained, well-chopped cooked spinach and cook for a few minutes. Add the spinach mixture to the meat mixture and combine well.
• To assemble the ravioli, using a rolling pin or pasta machine, roll out one of the halves of dough as thin as possible on a well-floured board. (Refrigerate the remaining dough until ready to use.) This should be almost paper thin; the thinner the ravioli, the better. Leaving a 2-inch strip of dough at the top, place a rounded half-teaspoon of filling at 1-inch intervals across the dough.
• Fold the strip over; on the unfolded sides, cut around each mound of filling with a small, serrated pastry wheel. If the ravioli do not stay closed, moisten your finger with milk and press the edges together. Place on a clean, lightly floured dish towel while you make the rest of the ravioli.
• Continue in the same manner until the dough is used up. The ravioli should rest uncovered at room temperature for several hours before cooking. Turn them once during this time.
• Fill two large pots with about 5 quarts of salted water each. Bring to the boil. Place the ravioli gently in the pots and cook at a full boil for 10 to 15 minutes. When done, skim them from the pot with a slotted spoon and drain in a colander. Slide them onto a platter and serve with tomato sauce and grated Parmesan cheese.

ARTICHOKE FILLING FOR RAVIOLI OR TORTELLINI

Steps:

• Cut the artichoke hearts into four wedges; place them, the leek, butter, salt and pepper in a skillet and saute over moderately low heat for 15 minutes.
• Puree in a blender or food processor until smooth; stir in olive oil, eggs and cheese.