Spinach And Cheese Pillows
Serves: 2
Felicia King
1 January 1970
Based on User reviews:
50
Spice
46
Sweetness
50
Sourness
41
mins
Prep time (avg)
5.4
Difficulty
Ingredients:
1.5 tsps
Olive Oil (divided)1 cup
Milk1 small
Onion (finely chopped)1
Bay Leaf1 tsp
Ground Nutmeg (optional)2 tbsps
Butter (melted)1.5 tsps
Cornstarch12 small
Parsley (sprigs, for garnish)Directions:
1
To make the filling for the pillows ("ravioli"), combine the spinach and goat cheese well and set aside
2
Begin the pasta dough by mounding the flour in the center of a clean room temperature work surface like a large wooden cutting board
3
Create a crater in the center of the mound
4
Crack the first egg into the center of the crater and add 1/2 teaspoon of the olive oil
5
With a fork, gently begin to scramble the mixture within the confines of the crater, whilst integrating the flour from the sides of the crater as you carefully beat the egg
6
Once the first egg is mostly mixed in, shore up the sides of the mound again with flour, maintaining the crater shape
7
Repeat the process with the 2nd egg and 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil, and again with the 3rd egg and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil
8
Start kneading the dough with your palms, allowing the warmth of your hands to impart elasticity to the dough
9
Knead for a count of about 400 strokes or until you feel you have created a cohesive mass
10
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and allow it to rest for about 30 minutes
11
While the pasta is resting, begin the sauce: Combine the milk, onion, bay leaf, cloves, and nutmeg, if using, in a medium saucepan over medium heat
12
Spoon the melted butter into a separate heat resistant bowl and gradually whisk in the cornstarch, blending thoroughly, then whisk in the Comte cheese
13
When the milk is fairly hot, pour a small amount of it into the cornstarch/cheese mixture, stirring until the milk is thoroughly blended in
14
Return this to the remaining milk mixture, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring frequently
15
Remove saucepan from heat, season sauce, to taste, with white pepper, and salt if needed
16
Remove and discard bay leaf and cloves
17
Immediately put a sheet of plastic wrap on top of the sauce to prevent a skin from forming
18
Begin making the spinach/cheese pillows
19
Have a bowl of water handy to moisten and seal the dough
20
Divide the dough in thirds
21
(You will be working with 1/3 of the dough at a time - keeping the balance wrapped in plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out
22
) Divide your first third of the dough in half
23
Use a pasta machine to gradually roll down each of these sections, successively reducing the setting on the machine until it's at the thinnest setting and lay on your floured dough board
24
Spoon 1 teaspoon of the spinach cheese filling at 4-inch intervals on the pasta dough, and top each with a knob of Brie cheese
25
Dip your fingers into the bowl of water and moisten the area surrounding the spinach/cheese filling
26
Cover the filling with the other rolled out piece of dough and press gently around the filling to seal, being careful not to flatten the filling or tear the dough
27
Using a pizza cutter, begin to cut the filled dough into ravioli squares
28
Remove each ravioli to a floured surface, pressing the edges firmly as you do so
29
Cover the ravioli with a towel and set aside for 2 hours
30
Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil, add the ravioli and cook for 1 minute
31
Remove the ravioli with a slotted spoon, drain on a paper towel, and keep warm
32
Reheat the sauce
33
Serve pillows with sauce spooned over and garnished with parsley