Ravioli Fatti a Mano………. or DIY Ravioli

Just as there are stories and faces to my risotto and gnocchi, so too for my ravioli. 
La signora Monguzzi turned up one day at our house in Milan to show me how her grandmother had taught her how to make ravioli. 
With a sure hand and calm patience she produced beautiful smooth uniform hand made ravioli that looked like little candies.
With great enthusiasm I set to work the next week to produce the same, only to discover that I lacked calmness and patience!  
My shiny new imperia pasta press was relegated to the back of the cupboard where it lived for 10 years only to be resurrected a month or so ago.
I'm not sure why I decided to give it another go but my pasta press now lives in the kitchen within close reach.
Last night I made ravioli with fresh spelt pasta and artichoke. 
I can't pretend that I'd give a Nonna from Parma a run for her money but they were as good as any restaurant.
Perhaps just not as pretty!  

INGREDIENTS                      
(for 4/5 people)

• 350g spelt flour 
• pinch of salt 
• 2 whole eggs
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 TBL Olive oli
• half cup of water

DIRECTIONS:
Throw everything in your kenwood in the exact order and mix with bread hook (add the water gradually). 
You want a dough that's so tough you could be forgiven for thinking it belonged on a building site!
Cover the dough with a cloth and rest in the fridge for at least an hour.

THE FILLING:

• 1 onion finely chopped
• 300/400 gr of frozen artichoke hearts finely chopped
• 250gr ricotta
• handful of parmigiana or grana padana
• 1 egg
• salt & pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Sauté the onion and artichokes, add salt and pepper. Remove from heat and puré 70%  with hand mixer. Add ricotta, egg and parmigiana. Mix and chill if there's time.

MAKING THE RAVIOLI:
Roll out the pastry using the pasta press until you have "pasta a velo"  (super thin). Place walnut sized balls of filling on the flat pasta, cover with another sheet of pasta and cut with a biscuit cutter.

Have salted boiling water ready to go in one pot and melted butter and olive oil, garlic and sage in another.
Gently place the ravioli in the water for 2 minutes.
Once cooked put the ravioli in a warmed bowl and drizzle with the butter mix .
Serve with extra grated parmigiana.

BuonAppetito!