You know that friend who calls himself a “foodie,” who isn’t impressed with anything you make, because, yawn, he’s made it before and then took it molecular? Make him eat his words with ravioli stuffed with tender chard, rich ricotta, and—this is the magic part—a duck egg that stays intact until the ravioli is cut, releasing a luscious river of yolk. These are big and rich; two per person is plenty.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 8 large ravioli, enough for 4
Ingredients
Filling
Preparation
Step 1
To make the filling, wash and stem the Swiss chard, then roughly chop it. Heat the butter in a sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the chard, stirring until wilted. Allow to cool, then squeeze dry and combine with the ricotta and garlic; season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside while you roll out the pasta.
Step 2
Roll out the dough to the thinnest setting on your pasta machine. Cut the pasta sheet in half crosswise so that you have 4 rectangles about 18 inches long. Dust your work surface with flour, then lay out one strip of pasta. Dollop about 2 tablespoons of the ricotta-chard mixture every 3 inches, making 4 servings. Make a slight depression in each dollop of filling, then gently place one egg yolk in each depression. Brush the surrounding pasta dough with water, then cover the filling with the second sheet of pasta. Use the edges of your hands to press down around the filling, pressing out any air and sealing the dough. Cut out the ravioli using a biscuit cutter or drinking glass. Repeat with the remaining pasta sheets, filling, and yolks to make 4 more ravioli.
Step 3
Fill 2 high-sided pans with 2 inches of water and bring to a bare simmer. Slip the ravioli into the water and poach gently, adjusting the heat to maintain a bare simmer. Cook the ravioli for about 2 1/2 minutes, or just until the pasta is cooked and the filling is heated through. It’s important that you don’t overcook the ravioli so that the yolks stay liquid. Reserve the pasta water.
Step 4
Melt the butter in a wide pan, add the pasta cooking liquid, and swirl together to combine. Add the ravioli to the pan and gently spoon the sauce over to coat. Divide among 4 shallow bowls, and top with a bit of sauce. Shave the Parmigiano-Reggiano over the top and serve.
