For a luscious vegetarian main, serve this gourmet home-made ravioli filled with zucchini, goats cheese and asparagus.
- Sift flour into a bowl. Make a well in the centre. Add eggs. Using a fork, slowly incorporate to make a dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 5 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Divide into 4 equal portions. Flatten 1 portion until 2cm thick. Cover remaining dough. Dust flattened portion with flour. Set pasta machine on thickest setting. Feed through machine. Fold each short end of dough into centre to form a small rectangle. Repeat process twice more.
- Reduce width of machine rollers by 1 setting. Dust dough with flour. Feed through machine. Repeat until 1.5mm thick. Loosely fold pasta, dusting well with flour. Set aside under a tea towel. Repeat with remaining dough portions.
- Toss zucchini and salt in a colander set over a bowl. Stand for 10 minutes. Squeeze excess liquid from zucchini. Place in a large bowl. Add ricotta, goat's cheese, lemon thyme and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper.
- Cut pasta sheets crossways to make three 6cm x 20cm-long sheets. Place 1 sheet on a lightly floured surface. Cut crossways into 3 strips (about 6cm wide). Spoon 1 level tablespoon zucchini mixture onto 1 half of 1 strip. Brush edges with a little water. Fold strip over to enclose filling, pressing edges together to seal. Using a pizza cutter, trim edges. Repeat with remaining pasta sheets and zucchini mixture to make 30 ravioli.
- Heat oil and butter in a large, deep frying pan over medium heat until bubbling.
- Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil over high heat. Cook ravioli, in 3 batches, for 2 to 3 minutes or until cooked through. Using a slotted spoon, carefully transfer to butter mixture. Add asparagus to boiling water. Cook for 2 minutes or until bright green and just tender. Transfer to butter mixture.
- Reduce heat to low. Add lemon juice and chives to butter mixture. Cook, tossing, for 1 to 2 minutes or until heated through. Divide ravioli among serving dishes. Sprinkle with vegetarian hard cheese. Serve.
You may need it
Food Storage Container Set
Surface Utensil Holder
Cutting Board Set