Baked Tortellini With Cheese And Parsley
INGREDIENTS (Serves 4) For the tortellini: ◆ 450g ‘00’ type flour ◆ 3 large eggs ◆ 3tbsp olive oil ◆ 100g baby spinach ◆ 1 clove garlic, minced ◆ 250g ricotta ◆ 40g Parmesan, grated ◆ 1 egg yolk ◆ Nutmeg ◆ Salt and freshly-ground black pepper For the topping: ◆ 140g Cheddar, grated ◆ 3-4tbsp curly parsley, chopped 1 Pile the flour and 1tsp salt onto a work sur face and create a well in the middle. Crack the eggs into the well and add oil. Knead together to form a smooth dough. If necessary add a little more flour or a drop of water. Shape into a ball, wrap in clingfilm, and chill for around 30min. 2 Quickly blanch the spinach in salted, boiling water. Refresh in iced water, drain well, pat dry and then chop. Mix together the chopped spinach, garlic, ricotta, Parmesan, egg yolk, salt, pepper and a little freshly grated nutmeg in a bowl. 3 Split the dough in two and roll out through a pasta machine, reducing the thickness with each pass through the machine, to about 0.5cm. Cut out circles approx. 6cm in diameter and place a teaspoon of the filling in the middle of each. Brush the edges with water and fold in half pushing the edges firmly together. Arrange on a large tray dusting with flour and set aside, covered loosely with a tea towel, until ready to cook. 4 Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a rapid simmer. Drop the tortellini in and simmer for 4-5min until “al dente”. Drain well and spread out on a clean tea towel. Preheat the oven to 190°C, Fan Oven 170°C, Gas Mark 5. 5 Divide the tortellini between individual dishes. Top with Cheddar and seasoning before arranging on a baking tray. Bake for 20-25min until the cheese is golden and bubbling. Serve with a sprinkling of chopped parsley on top.