Growing up, I fondly remember making homemade wide pasta noodles with my grandma, taking turns to hand crank the pasta dough with the machine attached to the kitchen counter. These days when I make homemade pasta, we often make these Mint Lemon Ravioli. Mint is surprising here, as basil would have been my go-to herb for Italian dishes. The mint is delicate and summery, and pairs well with the lemon. These are so delicious that friends have been known to lick their plates.
mint lemon ravioli
5 eggs
flour
200 g ricotta
lemon juice
lemon zest
chopped fresh mint
parmesan
black pepper
salt
3 tablespoons butter
method
To make the homemade dough, mound about 2 cups of flour on your counter or work surface. Make a well in the middle and crack the eggs in the center. Use a fork to gently beat the eggs and slowly incorporate the flour into the eggs, slowly making a dough. Add more flour or water to get the right texture. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rest about 30 minutes.
Use a pasta machine or KitchenAid pasta attachment to roll out the dough very thinly. It’s ok if your edges are crooked. You’ll trim them later.
To make the filling, combine the ricotta with lemon zest, lemon juice, chopped fresh mint, and about 1/4 cup grated parmesan. Taste to adjust seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste.
To make the ravioli, drop dollops of the filling on the sheets of pasta dough about 1.5 – 2 inches apart. Dip your fingertip in a small bowl of water and to make wet lines between the dollops of filling. This will help the dough stick together. Depending on the width of the pasta sheets, either fold the dough over the row of filling, or use a second sheet to cover the first sheet. Press down around the filling to remove air pockets. Use a zigzag pasta cutter to trim off the crooked pasta edges. Use the pasta cutter to cut lines in between the filling to create square ravioli shapes. Then use a fork to crimp the edges of each ravioli and secure the seams.
Bring a large pot of salter water to a boil. Boil the ravioli briefly, just until they float to the surface.
Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet. Add the mint leaves. Then add some lemon juice and a little pasta water to the skillet. Add the cooked ravioli. Lastly, add more pasta water if needed. Add parmesan and a little more butter.
Plate the ravioli. Top each serving with grated parmesan, freshly ground black pepper, lemon zest, fresh mint.