The Inspiration

Chef's Tips

Ingredients

Method

• Mix the yolks, eggs, salt and olive oil in a small bowl and whisk until smooth.
• Sieve the flour onto a bench, form a mound and make a small well in the centre.
• Pour the egg mixture into the well and begin to swirl around with your fingertips to incorporate all the flour until a paste forms.
• Knead the dough for 15 minutes until it is smooth, shiny and elastic.
• Cover with cling film and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to rest.

• Mix ricotta, flour, whole egg and egg yolk in a bowl until smooth. Then combine the other ingredients and continue to mix until all incorporated and lump-free. Transfer to a piping bag or cover and allow to rest for 1 hour before use.

• Once rested, allow the dough to come back to room temperature (about 30 minutes) then set up the pasta rolling machine as per manufacturer's instructions.
• To roll the pasta, divide the dough into 4 and roll with a rolling pin until it is about 1cm thick. You can also flatten the dough with the palm of your hand instead.
• Ensure the pasta machine is secured to a clean work surface and has been dusted with flour.
• Now begin passing the dough through the roller, starting at the thickest setting and working your way down to the thinnest. Once it is rolled down to about 5mm thick, make a "bookturn" (similar to how your fold a letter into 3 to place in an envelope). Roll the bookturned dough out with a rolling pin and begin to feed through the roller again, starting from the thickest setting and feed the straight edge through first. Perform this bookturn procedure 3 times in total and after the last turn, roll the dough down to the 1mm setting.
• Spread the thinly rolled sheet of dough out onto a lightly floured bench and begin to cut out discs using a 10cm ring cutter (or just use a tin can from the pantry and trace around it with the tip of a knife). Once the discs are cut, lay a tea towel over the top to prevent them from drying out.
• Sprinkle the semolina onto a tray evenly, this will prevent the tortellinis from sticking.
• Take a teaspoon of the ricotta filling and place into the centre of the pasta disc or use a piping bag.
• Dip your fingertip into a dish of water and very lightly wet one half of the pasta disc. Fold over and press carefully but firmly with your fingers to squeeze out any air pockets before sealing. Once a 'half-moon' shape and with the round side towards you, push lightly from the bottom of the flat side of the dumpling to create a dent. Now pull its little"tails" together around the body and crimp together, right-hand side over the left.
• Place each onto the tray of semolina and continue until all the pasta or all the filling is used.
• Make the sauce (method below) and set aside.
• Add pasta by cooking in salted, boiling water until they float to the surface, about 3-4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and place into the saucepan with the butter and garlic.
• If you like, add toasted pinenuts and torn fresh basil leaves as well.

• Melt butter in saucepan until golden. Add garlic and cook until soft, about one minute.

• Gently place tortellinis into serving bowls. Scatter with toasted pine nuts and grated parmesan.

Short and sweet