Homemade Cheese and Lavender Pasta
An elegant homemade pasta recipe makes both an impressive starter and the main course! A combination of tangy cheese and floral lavender makes a perfect sophisticated filling for stuffed pasta, that is both exciting and unconventional. Served with a roux-based sauce and topped with crunchy flaked almonds, our Homemade Cheese Lavender Pasta makes a wonderful dish for a date night or dinner party!
Equipment
- Blender/ Smoothie Maker
Ingredients
For Pasta Dough:
- 100 g 00 flour plus extra for dusting
- 1 egg large
For the Filling:
- 30 ml milk
- 50 ml double cream
- 1 heaped tbsp culinary lavender
- 125 g Grana Padano cheese finely grated
For the Sauce & Garnish:
- 50 g unsalted butter room temperature
- 10 g plain flour
- 100 ml vegetable stock
- a pinch of nutmeg
- 20 g flaked almonds
Instructions
Prepare the Filling:
- About 3 hours before you wish to serve ravioli, start making the filling. Heat the milk and double cream in a small saucepan to scalding point (if you have a kitchen thermometer, bring the temperature up to about 70°C). Take the pan off the heat, stir in the lavender, cover and leave to infuse for 2 hours.
- After two hours, strain the creamy mixture through a fine sieve and discard the lavander.
- Heat the creamy mixture again, but don't let it boil. Once hot, take off the heat and stir in the finely grated cheese. Don't worry if your mixture is grainy - it will resolve itself when ravioli is cooked.
- Spoon the cheesy filling into a piping bag fitted with a 1 cm nozzle and leave to cool down to room temperature.
Make Pasta Dough:
- Place the flour onto a kitchen surface and make a well in the centre. Crack the eggs into it and gradually mix with your hands. Knead the dough until the dough is soft, elastic and pliable. This will take about 10 minutes. If your dough is too dry, add a tablespoon of water. If it's too wet and sticky, add a bit of flour. Wrap a ball of dough in clingfilm and leave the pasta to rest for 30-60 minutes at room temperature.
- Divide the pasta dough into 2. One piece at a time (keeping other piece wrapped to avoid drying out) roll out the pasta into a long thin strip about 1mm in thickness (the last setting on the pasta maker - 6 on our Atlas).
Fill & Shape:
- Pipe a generous teaspoonful worth of the filling in a line down the centre of one of the rolled pasta strips about 4 cm apart. Place the other strip directly on top draping the sheet into space between filling to make sure not much air is trapped in between. Press down between the mounds of filling to seal.
- Using a sharp knife, a ravioli stamp or a fluted cutter, cut even-sized squares with the filling in the middle of the ravioli. Place them on a lightly dusted board/ tray (we use semolina flour for dusting). Re-roll any scraps and repeat with the filling. If your scraps are looking dry and don't roll very well, use an atomiser to spray some water on them and then knead for a minute before rolling. Repeat until you've run out of pasta dough or filling.
Make the Sauce & Garnish:
- Leave the ravioli on the floured board whilst you make the sauce and prepare the almonds. Toast the flaked almonds in a large dry non-stick frying pan until browned and smell nutty.
- Melt half of the butter in a small saucepan. Add the flour and stir until you have a paste that comes off the sides. Add the stock and stir to combine, ensuring no lumps form. Cook for 30-60 seconds on low heat until the sauce thickens.
- Pour the roux into a blender/ smoothie maker. Cut the rest of the butter into small pieces and add to the blender. Blitz for 30 seconds until you have a creamy emulsified sauce. Season with salt and pepper if needed. Add a pinch of nutmeg and keep warm until you're ready to serve. Add a splash of water if the sauce gets too thick.
Cook the Pasta:
- Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil. Carefully drop the ravioli into the pan. Shake the pan by the handles gently to ensure ravioli don't stick to the bottom or each other. Cook for about 3-4 minutes.
Serve:
- Divide the sauce between two bowls. Arrange the ravioli on top. Scatter the toasted almonds and some fresh herbs, if you wish!
Nutrition
Calories: 631kcalCarbohydrates: 48gProtein: 34gFat: 33gSaturated Fat: 17gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 160mgSodium: 1250mgPotassium: 257mgFiber: 3gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 1098IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 822mgIron: 4mg
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