Vine Leaf Wrapped Sheeps Milk Ricotta With Fennel And Olives Recipes

STUFFED VINE LEAVES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. Wash the vine leaves thoroughly, then put in a large saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Boil for 15 mins, then drain.
• Put the oil in a medium, non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 6-7 mins until translucent. Increase the heat and add the beef, frying for about 5 mins or until browned. Add the stock, tomatoes, purée and rice. Stir together, then add the cinnamon, mint, lemon juice and 1 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper. Check the seasoning, stir to combine, then remove from the heat.
• To stuff the vine leaves, lay a leaf on a chopping board, shiny-side down. Cut off and discard any stems. At the point where the stem was, add 1 heaped tsp of the mixture. Fold the bottom of the leaf up and over the filling, then fold the sides inwards and the top down, and continue to roll up. Repeat with the remaining filling and leaves.
• Line the base of a deep, ovenproof dish with any remaining vine leaves, then tightly pack the stuffed leaves into the dish. Pour over 140ml water and cover with foil. Cook for 1 hr, until the rice is cooked. You can also freeze the filled vine leaves. Cook these from frozen for 90 mins until piping hot and the rice is thoroughly cooked.

VINE LEAF-WRAPPED SHEEP'S-MILK RICOTTA WITH FENNEL AND OLIVES

Steps:

• Trim fennel stalks flush with bulb, discarding stalks, and remove core. With a mandoline or other hand-held manual slicer cut bulb into very thin slices and coarsely chop. In a large skillet cook fennel in oil over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10 minutes. In a dry small skillet toast pine nuts over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until pale golden, about 5 minutes. Coarsely chop pine nuts and raisins. Pit and chop olives.
• In a bowl combine fennel, pine nuts, raisins, olives, salt, and pepper to taste. Add ricotta and gently toss together.
• Drain grapevine leaves and pat dry. Line bottom and side of a 9-inch pie plate with a layer of overlapping leaves, leaving a 2-inch overhang. Spread ricotta mixture over leaves and fold overhang in toward center. Use more leaves to cover exposed ricotta . Chill spread at least 1 hour and up to 3 days. Invert a platter over pie plate and invert leaf-covered spread onto platter. Peel back center leaves and serve spread chilled or at room temperature with toasts and olives.

SHEEP'S MILK RICOTTA AND TALEGGIO RAVIOLI WITH WILD MUSHROOM AND PANCETTA SAUCE

Steps:

• For the filling:
• Combine all the ingredients. Put it in a pastry bag and reserve until ready to use.
• To roll the pasta:
• Set the pasta roller on the widest setting. Start with half the pasta dough. Using your hands flatten the dough as much as you can to facilitate it going through the pasta roller. Run the dough through the roller dusting it twice with flour in between rolls if it feels sticky. Fold it into thirds, turn it 90 degrees and run it through the pasta machine 2 to 3 times. Continue to run the pasta through the machine reducing the setting in between each run, stop when you get to the second to last setting. Always hold the pasta on the tops of your hands-palms down! If you hold it with fingers up you will create stretch marks - and those are never good.
• To assemble the ravioli:
• Brush the lower half of the pasta (the part that is closest to you) lightly with water. This is the "glue" that will hold the ravioli together. Use the water sparingly, if you use too much it will slide and not stick. Pipe 1 inch balls of filling onto the pasta that has been brushed with water, leaving about 2 inches in between each filling ball. Fold the top half of the pasta over the pasta balls to meet the bottom edge. Using your two index fingers poke around each filling ball to seal the ravioli shut, make sure there are no air bubbles. Using a fluted round cutter cut out each ravioli. Transfer to a sheet tray coated with semolina or polenta. Reserve until ready to use.
• To make the sauce:
• Coat a large saute pan with extra virgin olive oil. Add the pancetta and garlic and bring to medium high heat. When the garlic is light brown and aromatic remove it from the pan and discard it. When the pancetta is crispy add the mushrooms, season with salt and saute until they are soft and wilted. Add the chicken stock, season with salt and cook until it has reduced by half. Add the butter, shake the pan frequently and cook until the saute thickens and looks velvety. Taste for seasoning and add salt if needed.
• Bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil. Add the ravioli and cook for 3-4 minutes. Carefully remove the ravioli from the water and immediately put in the saute pan with the sauce. Bring to a boil shaking the pan frequently. Reserve about two tablespoons of grated parmigiano and sprinkle the rest into the sauce, stirring to combine.
• Plate the ravioli, sprinkle with a little more grated parm and the chopped chives.
• Mangia bene!!
• To make the pasta dough: In an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook*, combine the flour and salt. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and continue to mix. Drizzle in 1 tablespoons of the olive oil and continue to incorporate all the flour until it forms a ball. Sprinkle some flour on work surface, knead and fold the dough until elastic and smooth, this should take about 10 minutes. Brush the surface with the remaining olive oil and wrap the dough in plastic wrap; let rest for about 30 minutes to allow the gluten to relax.
• *Alternatively if you don't have an electric mixer: Combine the flour and salt on a flat work surface; shape into a mound and make a well in the center. Add the eggs and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to the well and lightly beat with a fork. Gradually draw in the flour from the inside wall of the well in a circular motion. Use 1 hand for mixing and the other to protect the outer wall. Continue to incorporate all the flour until it forms a ball. Continue as directed above.
• Cut the ball of dough in 1/2, cover and reserve the piece you are not immediately using to prevent it from drying out. Dust the counter and dough with a little flour. Press the dough into a rectangle and roll it through a pasta machine, 2 or 3 times, at widest setting. Pull and stretch the sheet of dough with the palm of your hand as it emerges from the rollers. Reduce the setting and crank the dough through again, 2 or 3 times. Continue tightening until the machine is at the narrowest setting; the dough should be paper-thin, about 1/8-inch thick (you should be able to see your hand through it.). Dust the sheets of dough with flour as needed.
• Beat 1 egg with 1 tablespoon of water to make an egg wash. Dust the counter and sheet of dough with flour, lay out the long sheet of pasta, and brush the top surface with the egg wash, which acts as a glue. Drop tablespoons of your favorite filling on 1/2 of the pasta sheet, about 2-inches apart. Fold the other 1/2 over the filling like a blanket. With an espresso cup or fingers, gently press out air pockets around each mound of filling. Use a sharp knife to cut each pillow into squares and crimp the 4 edges with the tins of a fork to make a tight seal. Dust the ravioli and a sheet pan with cornmeal to prevent the pasta from sticking and lay them out to dry slightly while assembling the rest.
• Cook the ravioli in plenty of boiling salted water for 4 minutes; they'll float to the top when ready, so be careful not to overcrowd the pot. Lift the ravioli from water with a large strainer or slotted spoon. Bath the ravioli in your favorite sauce to lightly coat and serve.

SHEEPS MILK RICOTTA AND PARMESAN RAVIOLI

Steps:

• Stir eggs until mixed together, add flour, salt and olive oil. With a dough hook, knead mix for about 15 to 20 minutes. Form into 6-ounce balls and refrigerate for 1/2 hour. Flatten pasta dough, by running through pasta machine or by rolling, until about 1/4-inch in thickness.
• Mix all ingredients together.
• Spoon out 1/2-ounce balls of mixture and place them on sheet of pasta, spaced evenly apart. Brush flattened pasta with egg yolk wash. Cover with a second sheet of pasta of the same size. Press top layer of pasta over balls of ravioli mix, making sure to get the air out. Cut with round cutter or knife to desired shape. Place finished ravioli into pot of boiling salted water, for about 1 minute. Remove from water. Place on plate, drizzle ravioli with olive oil, diced tomatoes and basil. Serve.

ONE-BOWL RICOTTA OLIVE OIL POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350ºF. Lightly grease a 9×5" loaf pan or a 10-12-cup Bundt pan (or spray with nonstick cooking spray). If using a loaf pan, line it with parchment paper, leaving about 2" of excess on each side to help you lift the cake out of the pan. If using a Bundt, sprinkle the inside of the pan with sugar, including the center cone.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, ricotta, and sour cream until combined. Add the oil and vanilla and mix until well blended. Whisk in the sugar, baking powder, salt, and zest until well combined. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the flour until just incorporated.
• Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with the spatula. Bake until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 50-65 minutes for the loaf pan, 40-55 minutes for the Bundt, rotating the pan halfway through baking.
• Transfer to a wire rack and let the cake cool in the pan for at least 1 hour before unmolding and slicing.

CREAMY PASTA WITH RICOTTA AND HERBS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, according to package instructions. Reserve 2 cups pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
• In the same pot, make the sauce: Add ricotta, Parmesan, olive oil, pepper and a large pinch or two of salt, and stir until well combined.
• Add 1 cup pasta water to the sauce and stir until smooth. Add the pasta and herbs, and continue to stir vigorously until the noodles are well coated. Add more pasta water as needed for a smooth, soupy sauce. Taste and add more salt if needed.
• To serve, spoon the pasta into bowls and finish with more Parmesan, olive oil and pepper.