Herb Infused Aubergine Ravioli
Eating a good plate of pasta is one of the most satisfying things in the world. Fresh handmade pasta is simply unbeatable. The chewy bite and the silky golden consistency are superior to any other option.
Making your own pasta is actually a very simple and fun activity. All you need to do is combine eggs with dark orange yolks with some 00 flour. The ratio is as simple as 1 egg every 100g of flour. You can find different recipes that use yolk only but the principle remains the same: 2 ingredients is all you need!
When it comes to the filling, you’ll discover that most of the classic recipes are based on the same principle: you use ricotta or other types of soft cheese as your binding ingredient. Ricotta is what will give your filling a soft and smooth consistency without interfering too much with the taste of your hero ingredient. It can be spinanch for a classic Ricotta & Spinaci, it can be artichokes, asparagus or anything you like. If you are lactose intolerant you can use mashed potatoes as your binding ingredient.
This dish has a very strong mediterranean flair. The ravioli are filled with aubergines served with a fresh cherry tomato sauce and herb infused olive oil. I wanted to capture all the beautiful flavours of the mediterranean herbs: thyme, basil and mint. These flavours, along with garlic and a tiny bit of chili elevate this simple dish to a whole new level.
Ingredients
For the pasta
3 eggs*
300g of 00 type flour
1 tbsp of water (optional)
*in the picture below I used 4 eggs. Don’t let the picture confuse you, I made some extra for later.
For the filling
250g ricotta
2 tbsp of olive oil
6 tbsp of grated parmesan
2 aubergines
6 leaves of basil
1 clove of garlic
salt & pepper
For the sauce
300g of mixed cherry tomatoes
2 tbsps of olive oil
1 clove of garlic
salt & pepper
For the oil infusion
4 tbsps of olive oil
1 clove of garlic
1 dried chili or 1 tsp of chili flakes
2 twigs of thyme
2 twigs of mint
6-8 basil leaves
Step by Step
For the Pasta
Place the flour on your working surface. With your hands dig a small hole in the middle of your pile of flour. Break the eggs and add them in the middle pile of flour
With a fork, slightly beat the eggs and start mixing them with the flour. When the dough starts coming together add your tbsp of water and start kneading. Keep kneading for at least 5 minutes and until the dough becomes softer and elastic. Cover with cling film and let it rest for 30 min
For the herb infused oil
Chop all your herbs and put them in a bowl
Slice the garlic
In a non stick pan heat up the olive oil and slightly sauté the sliced garlic and chili flakes
After a couple of minutes, pour the hot oil over the herbs and let it sit for a minimum of 30 min to a maximum of 2 hours. The more you leave it the stronger the taste will be
For the filling
Dice the aubergines
In a non-stick pan heat the olive oil, sauté the garlic and aubergines until soft
Don’t forget to season with salt and pepper
Once the aubergines have cooled down mix them in a bowl with the ricotta, parmesan and chopped basil leaves
Mix everything together until combined. Adjust the seasoning and put the filling in a piping bag. The piping bag is optional as you can simply use a teaspoon to fill your ravioli if you prefer
Set a side
Making the ravioli
Use your pasta machine to make a long sheet of pasta. Cut it in half & pipe out little roundels of filling to cover half of your pasta sheet
Cover the filling with the remaining half of the pasta sheet and press firmly with your fingers to seal the filling inside the pasta sheets
Use your pasta cutter to cut out your ravioli. Place them on a tray sprinkled with semolina or flour to prevent them from sticking
Keep going until you finish all the dough
Making the sauce & serving
Sauté the oil and garlic and add in your cherry tomatoes cut in half
Season with salt & pepper and let it cook until the tomatoes start losing their round shape. Don’t overcook it. You want the sauce to be light
Once ready and off the heat, add in 3/4 of your infused oil and herbs. kee the remaining 1/4 to decorate your plate
Bring a big pot of salted water to boil
Cook your ravioli for a couple of minutes or until you are satisfied with the consistency
Mix them with your cherry tomato sauce and serve with a drizzle of herb infused oil and some grated parmesan
Enjoy!
Tips & cheats
The more you make pasta the more you’ll know whether it has the right consistency. Follow the 100g flour+1 egg rule as a base and always remember you can adjust the consistency with extra flour (to make it less sticky) or with a couple of tbsp of water (to make it softer). Only make these adjustments after the dough has rested for 30 min.
When you first knead the pasta dough it will feel tough and difficult to work with. Insist and keep kneading for 10 minutes. Don’t forget that the dough will become softer, more elastic and will feel different after it has rested for 30 min.
No salt in the pasta dough! Salt only goes in the cooking water.
Toasted pine nuts are also a great finishing touch for this dish.
You are free to infuse your oil with whatever herbs you prefer. Play around and see which ones you prefer.
