RICOTTA FILLED PASTA – RICOTTA DERELYE

It is not Italian ravioli, not Hungarian derelye or Ukrainian perogy, only all of the above. Ricotta is a pretty flavourless cheese product, also grainy, so even the good quality 10% version needs a flavour boost. As for Italian pasta, I find it just a bit tough for my Hungarian sensibilities, so yes the pasta is Hungarian. The ricotta and the parmesan is Italian, but the filling is more like Ukrainian perogy. This might be Canadian way of thinking, but I find serious advantage to diversifying.

RICOTTA FILLED PASTA

Pasta:

1-1/2 cups flour
2 eggs
pinch of salt
1 egg white
2+2 Tbsp butterFilling:

1 cup ricotta 10% fat content [anything less is too wet]

2 egg yolks

2 tsp sugar

1 tsp grated onion

1 cup mashed potato

1/2 cup grated parmesan

1/8 cup melted butter
salt to taste [actually taste it how much to add]

fresh basil or parsley leaves

• Combine the flour, eggs and salt and 2 Tbsp melted butter and kneed it into a smooth and fairly firm dough.

• Shape into a ball, wrap in plastic and let it rest for 30 minutes. This will make the dough soft and easy to roll out.

• Meanwhile combine the ingredients for the filling, reserving the fresh herb.

• Roll the dough out very thinly, and cover the other half with a clean kitchen towel.

• Dot one half with a teaspoon of filling 1-1/2 inches apart at regular intervals. 

• Place a leaf of fresh herb on the top of each mound.

• Whisk together 1 teaspoon of water with the egg white. Reserve the yolk for the filling.

• Brush the dough between the heaps of filling with the egg white mixture.

• Remove the cloth and fold the other half of the dough over the filling.

• Press down firmly in between the heaps of filling.

• Using a pasta cutter, cut into separate squares, each containing one heap of filling,.

• Cook in boiling water in a covered saucepan for 8-10 minutes.

• When the pasta squares are cooked transfer them to a sieve to drain.

• Place in a serving bowl and pour 2 Tbsp melted butter on the top.