Handmade Ravioli filled with Eggplant

Step 1

Place the flour on a wooden pastry board, make a well in the center. Pour the eggs into the well, add salt and few drops of evo oil. Using a fork, work the flour into the eggs.

Step 2

Knead for minimum 20 minutes, until smooth (you may have to add more flour as you knead if it's sticky).

Step 3

Wrap the dough in plastic, and let rest for 30 minutes.

Step 4

Later you will need a pasta machine to make sheets.

Step 5

Dice the eggplant and proceed to get them expel the bitter water as wrote above. In a skillet pour some olive oil (about 3tbsp) with the garlic (leave the skin on for a gentle taste). Put over medium/high heat, wait until it's hot and add the eggplant. Add the oregano as taste. Stir often and cook until tender. Add salt as needed and taste. Transfer in a bowl and let it cool. On a cutting board reduce the eggplant in a puree with a knife or a half-moon.

Step 6

At the same time, heat the olive oil with the garlic in a large saucepan. When starts frying, add the cherry tomatoes and basil. Cook on medium fire. After 5 minutes add salt, leave water to evaporate for other 5 minutes and then add more basil.

Step 7

Take the dough, cut in four portions and using a pasta machine, roll the dough out intothin sheets. Cut the sheets in circles with a pastry cutter, place a teaspoonof the filling in the center of each and fold in half to obtain halfmoonravioli shape. Press all around the filling, and secure it pressing again withthe top of a fork.

Step 8

Place on the fire a large pot of water, when it is about to boil add a fistful ofsalt: the water must be as salty as the sea, don’t worry, the pasta will notabsorb the entire quantity but will be correctly salted. Then add ravioli andcook until the pasta is tender (fresh pasta doesn't have to be al dente). Drainthe pasta (save some water) and add it to the skillet; sauté briefly over highheat, so that the pasta absorbs the flavors of the sauce (in case add the waterthat you’ve saved). Transfer to a serving dish, and serve immediately, withgenerous Parmigiano Reggiano.