Heart Beet & Goat Cheese Ravioli

Ingredients

Pasta Dough

2 small beets, cooked and peeled (~2 oz)
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 egg white
1 egg yolk
2 large eggs
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt

Filling

8 oz goat cheese
1 tbsp lemon zest, grated
1 tsp ground nutmeg
2 cups spinach, chopped
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cracked pepper

Sauce

4 tbsp butter
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1/4 cup white wine
6-8 basil leaves, thinly sliced
Shaved parmigiano-reggiano

Instructions

Pasta Dough

Using a blender or food processor, blend the beets until they turn into a smooth paste. Set the paste aside.

In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, eggs, egg yolk, olive oil, salt, & beet paste. Whisk with a fork until the dough comes together. At this point, use your hands to knead the dough until it forms a smooth ball.

In lieu of needing by hand, you may also whisk the ingredients in a large mixing bowl, then add the dough to a stand mixer with a dough hook and mix on low until the dough forms a smooth ball.

Once the dough ball forms, place the ball in a clean mixing bowl and cover with a clean kitchen cloth. Let the dough rest for 30-45 minutes.

After the dough rests, cut the dough into even quarters. Use a rolling pin to roll out each quarter into thin sheets of pasta of equal width and length. You may also use a pasta machine to roll out the dough. Set the four sheets aside.

Filling

Using a blender or food processor, add the goat cheese, lemon zest, nutmeg, spinach, salt, and pepper. Pulse until the mixture is well-blended and smooth. Scoop into a bowl and set aside.

Ravioli

Lay the sheets of pasta on a lightly floured surface. Using a 3-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut the sheets of pasta into 32 hearts for 16 ravioli. Lay the hearts out into two rows of 16.

Scoop a tablespoon of the goat cheese mixture onto the center of the first 16 hearts, leaving enough space around the perimeter of the hearts.

Whisk the leftover egg white in a bowl. Using a brush or your finger, lightly brush the egg whites around the perimeter of the hearts with the filling center. Cover each of the ravioli with the other 16 hearts and seal.

Using a fork, press around the perimeter of the ravioli to close them completely. Set the ravioli aside.

Sauce

In a medium skillet, melt the butter on medium heat. Add the white wine, shallots, and a pinch of salt. Stir the shallots and heat the butter until it begins to bubble and brown, but not burn, about 8 minutes.

While the brown butter sauce is cooking, boil salted water for the ravioli in a large pot. Cook the ravioli in the water for 3 minutes and use a slotted spoon to remove them.

Plate the ravioli and drizzle the brown butter sauce on top. Garnish with fresh basil and Parmigiano Reggiano.