Ravioli with radicchio, ricotta and mortadella

For the pasta dough 11/2 cups (200 g) fine “00” grade durum wheat semolina flour or all-purpose flour, plus extra to dust 1 medium egg sea salt 1/4 cup (50 ml) beet juice

For the filling 4 oz (110 g) mortadella (Italian sausage) 21/4 oz (70 g) radicchio (red parts only) freshly ground black pepper 11/2oz (40 g) pecorino cheese, finely grated 7 oz (200 g) ricotta cheese, plus 6 tbsp to serve 3 tbsp (20 g) dried breadcrumbs, or mollica secca (see p.30) freshly grated nutmeg

coarse sea salt 4 tbsp butter, softened 4 tbsp finely grated ricotta salata cheese 2 heaped tbsp pine nuts extra-virgin olive oil handful of basil leaves

Ravioli con radicchio, ricotta, e mortadella

Ravioli is often linked to the food of the north of Italy, particularly Emilia-Romagna. But it is a popular pasta dish in Sicily, too, where you can even eat it as a dessert, known as raviolo dolce di ricotta or cassatella dolce fritta. Most savory fillings in Sicily include ricotta or a combination of cheese and sausage meat. I’ve opted for a combination of both of these fillings: ricotta and mortadella. And for the first and last time in this cookbook, we are using butter in a savory dish and egg in the pasta dough.

To make the ravioli dough, knead together the flour and egg with a pinch of salt and the beet juice until you have a compact, firm dough. Cover with an inverted bowl and leave to rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, to make the filling, finely chop together the mortadella and radicchio. Sauté gently in a dry pan to allow some of the liquid to evaporate. Season with pepper and leave to cool slightly. Mix with the pecorino, ricotta, and breadcrumbs, and season with nutmeg. Taste and adjust the seasoning if desired.

Roll out the dough on a floured work surface until it is about 1⁄8 in (3 mm) thick and place 1-tbsp piles of the filling mixture at roughly 2 in (5 cm) intervals on half of the rolled-out pasta. Fold the other half of the pasta dough over the filling and press it down firmly around each little pile, removing as much air as possible in the process. Using a circular ravioli cutter, stamp out the pasta parcels and press the edges down firmly so any remaining air is removed.

Fill a large saucepan with plenty of water and place over high heat. When it comes to a boil, sprinkle in coarse sea salt and cook the ravioli for 4–5 minutes. Meanwhile, melt the butter gently in a large saucepan.

Lift the ravioli out of the water with a slotted spoon and toss them carefully in the butter for about 1 minute.

Arrange the ravioli on 6 plates, add 1 tbsp ricotta to each serving, and scatter over the ricotta salata and pine nuts. Drizzle with a dash of olive oil and serve sprinkled with basil leaves.