Ingredients

Smoked Haddock Filling

• 400g smoked haddock
• 500ml milk or water
• 200g ricotta
• 6 tbsp parmesan, freshly grated
• generous pinch of grated nutmeg
• maldon salt and freshly ground black pepper

Ravioli

• 500g strong flour
• 2 eggs and 3 egg yolks
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp fresh mixed herbs eg. chives, basil and parsley
• pinch salt

To Serve

• melted butter or
• sautéed spinach with garlic, a little grated nutmeg and diced tomato

Method

1. Smoked Haddock Filling: Place the smoked haddock in a deep pan, cover it with the milk or water and place greased foil or grease proof paper over it. Place the pan over a moderate heat and bring it slowly to the simmer. Allow the haddock to cook for 3-5 minutes so that it is just cooked. Carefully remove the haddock from the pan and allow it to cool.
2. Flake into small pieces into a bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and mix it vigorously with a wooden spoon until all the ingredients are well incorporated. Refrigerate the filling until ready to use.
3. Pasta by Food Processor: Place all the ingredients in a food processor and process it until you have a breadcrumbs like consistency. Tip the mixture out onto a work surface and bring together with your hands so that you have a ball of dough. If it is to dry add a little water and if to wet add some more flour. Knead the mixture for a couple of minutes until it has some elasticity. Make the dough into 4 balls and cover them with cling film and place it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
4. By Hand: Place the flour out onto a work top and make a well in the centre. In a bowl beat the egg and oil together, pour this mixture into the well in the centre of the flour. Using your your hands bring the flour into the egg mixture and gradually combine it until you have a dough. Knead the dough for couple of minutes until it is firm and has elasticity. Make the dough into 4 balls, cover them with cling film and place them in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes
5. Ravioli: Remove the dough from the refrigerator and starting with one ball of dough roll it out so that it is around 1cm-1.5 cm thick. Set a pasta machine to the lowest setting and pass the pasta through it 3 times. Then set the pasta machine to a higher setting and pass it through, then reduce the setting and repeat the process to the last or second last setting so that the pasta is very thin and long. If the pasta comes sticky dust it with a little flour. Cut the sheet of pasta in half and hang the pasta up on a wooden pasta holder or weighted broom handle. Repeat this process with the remaining pasta.
6. Lay one sheet of pasta on a lightly floured work top. Place a generous teaspoon of the filling and place it 3cm in from the top and side of left hand corner of the pasta. Repeat this process every 3 cm leaving 3 cm at the end of the pasta. Begin the second row 3 cm down from the top row and repeat this process again (continue this until you have several rows and the pasta sheet is full). Place a second sheet of pasta over the pasta with the filling carefully. Press around the fillings so that the filling is enclosed by the pasta. Cut the pasta with a small pizza cutter, knife, ravioli cutter or small shape cutter into individual ravioli. Place the ravioli on a lightly floured tray and place it in the fridge until you are ready to cook. Repeat this process with the remaining pasta. *If you have a ravioli mould dust a pasta sheet with flour and place it over the base loosely. Place generous teaspoons of the filling in each section. Place a second sheet of ravioli over the filling and roll over the top of the pasta with a rolling pin so as to cut around each ravioli. Turn the ravioli out onto a lightly floured surface.
7. To Cook: Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil with a little olive oil. Cook a few pieces of the ravioli at a time until they rise to the top (this should take around a minute). Remove the ravioli and keep it warm while you cook the remaining ravioli.
8. To Serve: Serve the ravioli simply with melted butter and rocket or on a bed of sautéed spinach with garlic and diced tomato.