(Serves 4)
Ingredients
For the pasta dough
500g “00” flour
9 egg yolks + 2 whole eggs
1tsp table salt
Splash of water & 50ml olive oil
For the filling
250g spinach
50g peas
50g broad beans
Small handful of mint
200g of ricotta cheese
50g of parmesan, grated
Zest of ½ a lemon
Nutmeg, to grate
Salt and pepper
For the spring vegetable stew
1 bunch of asparagus, cut into 3 lengthways
340 g podded fresh baby broad beans
6 baby leeks, or 1 regular leek, outer leaves removed, cut into 8cm lengths, washed
Rape seed oil
400ml of chicken stock (vegetarian option – substitute with a good quality vegetable stock)
1 small red onion, peeled and finely chopped
340 g podded fresh peas
1 small bunch fresh mint, leaves picked
1 small bunch of basil, leaves picked
Salt and pepper
Method
- First, make the pasta dough: Blend all the ingredients in a food processor until a firm dough is achieved.
- Knead for 10 minutes until smooth and silky.
- Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Wash the spinach.
- In a pan of boiling, salted water, blanch the spinach for a few seconds, then dunk into ice cold water
- Drain and squeeze out as much of the water as you can, take out a small handful and set aside. These will be to put on top when serving. Roughly chop the others with the mint.
- Use the same boiling water to boil the peas and broad beans for 1 minute, then refresh in ice cold water. Roughly chop.
- In a bowl, mix the ricotta with a fork then add the chopped spinach, peas, broad peas, parmesan, lemon zest and a grate or two of nutmeg and season well with salt and pepper.
- Flour the work surface with the semolina, and using a pasta machine, start rolling one ball of the dough through the machine. Start on the highest setting and work down gradually so you end up with smooth, thin dough which reaches each side of the machine.
- Cut the pasta into 6cm squares. Place the filling in to the middle, moisten the edges of the squares, and then fold them in half to form triangles. Press the edges together to seal.
- Fold the two long corners around your finger, overlapping them and pressing to seal. Fold the top of the triangle away to make the tortellini shape. Mould into a round shape. Place the shapes on a clean cloth, spaced well apart.
- To make the spring vegetable stew; heat a large saucepan, big enough to hold all the ingredients, and add a good splash of rape seed oil. Cook the onion very gently for about 10 minutes until soft, add the leek and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Add the peas, broad beans, asparagus, and chicken stock and bring to the boil.
- Simmer gently for about 10 minutes until the peas are cooked and soft.
- Taste, season with salt and pepper, and stir in the chopped herbs and a good drizzle of olive oil.
- When you are ready to cook the tortellini, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and toss in the tortellini, few at a time, cook over a high heat for 3-4 minutes.
- Serve with a grate of fresh parmesan
