Use this ricotta cheese filling for ravioli, tortellini, and other filled pastas. Variation also included for spinach and pancetta filling.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 10 ounces spinach, cleaned and trimmed
• 1 egg
• 1 cup ricotta cheese, preferably fresh, drained for a few minutes in a fine strainer
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Preparation:

Plunge the spinach into boiling salted water; remove it 30 seconds later. Drain, cool, and chop finely.

Combine the spinach with the egg, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, pepper, and nutmeg. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Use to fill the pasta immediately, or refrigerate for up to a day before using.

Variation
Spinach Filling for Fresh Pasta:
This is also good made with chard. Omit the ricotta. After cooking and chopping the spinach, heat 2 Tablespoons butter or olive oil in a large skillet with 1 teaspoon minced garlic. When the garlic softens, stir in the spinach. Season with salt and pepper, then cool and stire in the egg, Parmesan, and nutmeg. A couple of Tablespoons of minced prosciutto or pancetta cooled along with the garlic is great in this.

Yield: enough to fill about 50 to 60 ravioli, or the equivalent number of other shapes