Ravioli alla Calabrese – Calabrian ravioli filled with provola, soppressata and pecorino

Name: Ravioli alla Calabrese – Calabrian ravioli filled with provola, soppressata and pecorino
Total time: 2 h 10 min
Ingredients: 3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil; 1 garlic clove, crushed; 1 chilli, preferably a spicy Calabrian variety; 1/2 onion, peeled and finely chopped; 1/2 carrot, peeled and finely chopped; 200g of pork mince; 400g of plum tomatoes, peeled and roughly chopped; 400g of plain flour, sifted; 4 eggs; 1 pinch of salt; 3 eggs; 200g of provola cheese, finely chopped; 200g of soppressata, finely chopped; 50g of pecorino, grated; pecorino, grated

by Valeria Necchio

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Pasta
medium
6
2 hours 10 minutes

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This ravioli recipe celebrates some of Calabria 's most beloved flavours. The pasta parcels are filled with a mix of pecorino, provola, eggs and soppressata, before being dressed in a spicy tomato sauce enriched with pork. A stunning recipe for showing off your fresh pasta -making skills.

First published in 2019

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Hearty, rich and delightfully spicy – Calabria being the only region in Italy where chilli is a vital part of the local gastronomy – these ravioli are filled with local Calabrian cheese and salami and tossed with a lush, chilli-spiked sauce. Many are the variations on the theme: some add a bit of ‘nduja to the filling or the sauce; others use caciocavallo silano (yet another local cheese, hailing from the peaks of the Sila) instead of pecorino; others again toss them with a plain, classic tomato sauce. This recipe is a starting point. Have a go at it and twist it according to your whim – adding extra heat to the sauce, for example, or leaving out the hard-boiled eggs in the filling if you’re not too keen.

Ingredients

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For the sauce

3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 chilli, preferably a spicy Calabrian variety
1/2 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
200g of pork mince
400g of plum tomatoes, peeled and roughly chopped

Pasta dough

400g of plain flour, sifted
4 eggs
1 pinch of salt

For the filling

3 eggs
200g of provola cheese, finely chopped
200g of soppressata, finely chopped
50g of pecorino, grated

To serve

pecorino, grated

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Method

Begin by making the sauce with which you’ll season the ravioli. In a large saucepan set over a medium heat, fry the garlic and chilli in olive oil for a couple of minutes, until just fragrant. Discard them both and stir in the onion and carrot. Cook until soft, for about 10 minutes, stirring often

Add the pork mince and brown evenly, then add the tomatoes. Set the heat to low, cover and cook for about 1 hour, or until thickened. Taste and season, remove from the heat and set aside until ready to use

To make the fresh pasta, start by creating a mound with the flour on a work surface. Make a well in the centre and crack the eggs into the well. Beat the eggs with a fork, incorporating the flour a little at the time, until you see some lumps of dough coming together. Carry on with your hands, kneading the dough until smooth and elastic. Flatten the dough slightly, wrap it in cling film and leave to rest for 1 hour

Meanwhile, make the filling. Boil 2 of the eggs for 7 minutes, then peel and finely chop. Add them to a bowl with the provola, soppressata, grated pecorino and the remaining (raw) egg. Stir to combine into an even mixture, adding a little more grated cheese if the mixture appears to be too wet

Next, divide the dough into 3 pieces and roll them out using a pasta machine – I normally stop at the second-to-last setting. Arrange the sheets of pasta on a floured work surface and trim into neat rectangles

Using a teaspoon, arrange small mounds of filling onto the laid out pasta sheets, leaving about 2cm in between each of them. Fold the sheet of pasta onto itself. Press down the pasta in between the mounds of filling to seal the ravioli and remove any air bubbles. Then, using a pasta wheel or a ravioli cutter, cut out the ravioli

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the ravioli and cook until they float to the top. Meanwhile, reheat the sauce

Drain the ravioli with a slotted spoon and transfer to the pan with the sauce. Sauté in the sauce for a couple of minutes, until evenly coated. Serve right away with a dusting of grated pecorino