Tortelli Di Ricotta Recipes

TORTELLI DI RICOTTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Prepare an ice-water bath and set aside. Add spinach to boiling water and cook until bright green and tender, about 1 minute. Drain and immediately transfer to ice-water bath to cool; drain and, using your hands, squeeze as much liquid out of the spinach as possible.
• Coarsely chop spinach and transfer to a large bowl. Add ricotta, 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, eggs, and nutmeg; mix until well combined. Season with salt and pepper and set filling aside until cool.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly dust baking sheet and work surface with flour; set baking sheet aside. Place 1 sheet of pasta on prepared work surface and trim to a 6-by-18-inch rectangle. Cut rectangle in half horizontally and then vertically into 3-inch strips to make 12 squares. Repeat process with remaining pasta sheets.
• Place 1 tablespoon of filling in the center of one pasta square. Lightly brush edges with water and cover with a second pasta square. Press down on pasta squares to seal, making sure to press out all of the air; trim edges with a fluted cutter and transfer to prepared baking sheet. Repeat pasta with remaining filling and pasta squares to make tortelli.
• Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon butter with olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add squash and cook until softened. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add tortelli to boiling water and cook until they rise to the surface, 2 to 3 minutes.
• In a large skillet, melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Continue cooking until butter just turns golden brown. Remove from heat and add sage leaves.
• Drain tortelli, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking water. Add tortelli and squash to skillet and toss to coat, adding pasta water, 1 tablespoon at a time, as necessary. Sprinkle with cheese and drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Season with salt and pepper; serve immediately.

RICOTTA TORTELLINI

Steps:

• For filling:
• Mash all ingredients in a medium bowl until well blended and smooth. Cover and chill while preparing dough.
• For dough:
• Place first 3 ingredients in bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook. Mix at low speed until dough pulls away from side of bowl, about 4 minutes. Place on work surface; knead until smooth, adding water by teaspoonfuls if dry, 2-3 minutes (dough is fairly stiff). Divide in 4, flatten, wrap in plastic, and chill for 30 minutes.
• Working with 1 dough round at a time, run dough through widest setting of a pasta machine. Fold in half; run through machine. Repeat 7 times. Roll through machine without folding, decreasing width setting after each roll, until 1/16" thick. Transfer to a floured surface.
• Using a 3" cookie cutter, cut dough into circles. Spoon 1 rounded teaspoonful of filling into center of each dough. Brush edges lightly with egg white; fold over and press to seal, forming a half-moon shape. Fold and press tips together, moistening with egg white to seal. Transfer to a lightly floured rimmed baking sheet. DO AHEAD: Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover and chill.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season with salt; add tortelloni. Simmer, stirring gently, until cooked through, 2-3 minutes after they begin to float. Using a slotted spoon, divide tortelloni among bowls. Drizzle melted butter over and serve with cheese.

RICOTTA TART: TORTA DI RICOTTA

Steps:

• For the pasta frolla: Combine sugar, butter, egg, milk, baking powder and salt in a large bowl and mix well. Fold in the flour but do not over mix; make sure that the mixture remains cool and does not become pasty. Shape into a disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes, or until firm.
• For the Ricotta Filling: Place the ricotta in a large bowl stir in the sugar, then the eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla being careful not to over mix.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Cut off 1/2 of the pasta frolla and reserve. Roll 1/2 of the dough into a 14-inch disc and line a 9-inch cake pan with it. Allow the dough to hang over the edge of the pan. Roll out the reserved dough into a 10-inch circle. Reserve. Pour the ricotta filling into the crust base. Lay the reserved 10-inch circle of dough on the top of the filling. Trim the excess so there is a 1/2 to 3/4-inch overhang. Take the flap of dough left on the edge of the ring and roll it on itself so that it rests completely within the pan.
• In a small bowl, beat together the egg with a pinch of salt and a few drops of water to make an egg wash. Brush the surface of the torta with the beaten egg mixture. Place the torta in the lower third of the oven and bake for about 45 minutes until the filling is set and the crust is golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool in the pan. Serve warm, or at room temperature.

FRESH PASTA SHEETS FOR TORTELLI DI RICOTTA

Steps:

• Mound flour in center of a large work surface, and make a well in the middle. Beat eggs, olive oil, and salt in a small bowl and pour into well.
• Using a fork, slowly incorporate flour, beginning with outer rim of well. When flour is incorporated, gather dough together to form a rounded mass. Lightly flour work surface and hands, and begin kneading dough with the palms of your hands until no longer wet and sticky.
• Lightly flour work surface; knead dough until smooth and elastic, 3 to 5 minutes. Continue kneading 4 minutes more, dusting work surface and hands with flour as necessary. Divide dough in half and flatten each half into a small rectangle. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature.
• Set the rollers of a hand-cranked or electric pasta machine at their widest opening. Working with one piece of dough at a time, run dough once through the machine. Remove and lightly dust with flour. Fold the dough in thirds, like a book, pressing down with your fingers, and run through the machine again. Repeat this step at least two more times, dusting lightly with flour if needed, until the dough is smooth and elastic.
• Now change the rollers of the pasta machine to the next decreasing setting, and roll out the dough once without folding. Keep rolling the sheet through the machine on decreasing settings until you have rolled it through the last (thinnest) setting. Cut the pasta strip into 18-inch sheets. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let stand for 30 minutes. Repeat process with remaining piece of dough.
• Run each sheet of pasta through the narrowest setting of the pasta machine two more times each. Keep covered until ready to use.