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Stinging Nettle & Ricotta Ravioli with Proscuitto, Lemon Butter, & Greens

Print Recipe
Course Main Course
Keyword proscuitto, ravioli, ricotta

Ingredients

For Pasta

  • 9 oz AP flour
  • 3 eggs

For Filling

  • 1 bunch stinging nettles you want about 1 cup cooked, so about 4ish cups raw
  • 2 cups arugula steamed with the nettles
  • 1/2 cup Italian parsley finely chopped
  • 1 cup homemade ricotta
  • 4 oz herbed chevre or plain chevre & 2 Tbsp chopped assorted fresh herbs think herbs de provence
  • 1/4 cup toasted hazelnuts chopped fine can sub pine nuts
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 1/4 tsp fresh grated nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp fresh grated pepper
  • salt & lemon juice to taste

For Sauce

  • 2/3 stick of unsalted butter
  • juice of a lemon
  • reserved pasta cooking water
  • kosher salt
  • 1 cup baby greens I used spinach & arugula
  • 6 slices proscuitto fried crispy can sub bacon as I have in these photos
  • finely grated cheese I use Cumberland but parm would be just fine

Instructions

Make Pasta Dough:

  • Add the flour to a bowl and make a well in the middle. Crack the eggs into the well and swirl them with your finger, slowly incorporating the flour. When all the flour is incorporated turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead until smooth and the dough bounces back when pressed with your finger, about 5-10 minutes. Wrap dough tightly in plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes.

Make Filling:

  • Steam the nettles for about 10 minutes, adding the arugula in the last 4. Squeeze the greens dry with paper towels. Reserve the steaming liquid! This is great to drink on it’s own nutrition wise, very rich in iron. But I like to boil it and make sweet milky tea with it. It’s absolutely full of nutrients.
  • Finely chop the greens and add them along with the parsley to the two cheeses in a mixing bowl. Mix well to combine and season to taste with salt. Mix in the rest of the ingredients and adjust the seasoning with lemon juice and salt if needed.

Assemble & Cook:

  • Bring a large pot of heartily salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, make the ravioli.
  • Pinch off about a fourth of the dough at a time, knead it a bit, and then roll out the pasta sheets in a pasta roller. Keep the sheets floured and covered w/ a damp cloth while rolling out the others to prevent sticking and drying out. Alternately, you can use a rolling pin, but I find this difficult and very much love my hand crank pasta roller.
  • Either use a nifty ravioli mold as I have, or you can simply dollop your filling onto one sheet of pasta, about a heaping tsp of filling spaced about two inches apart, wet the spaces in between with a finger dipped in water, and then place another sheet on top, pressing to seal, getting out as much air as you possibly can. Cut the pasta and place on a flour dusted baking sheet while you continue to make the rest.
  • Cook the pasta in the boiling water, about 3 minutes. Meanwhile melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. When the butter is melted slowly whisk in the lemon juice along with a two finger pinch of salt. Transfer pasta with a slotted spoon to the lemon butter along with about half a ladle of the cooking water. Cook, shaking the pan every now and again, about another 4 minutes to let the sauce thicken and coat the pasta. In the last two minutes add the greens to just wilt. Serve garnished with crumbled crispy proscuitto and grated cheese.