Four Cheese Mezzaluna
I don’t think I’ll ever stop finding new and classic ways to make and serve pasta, and today just proves that fact yet again.
Today, I’ll be showing you how to make fresh Mezzaluna, half-moon shaped ravioli that are incredibly fun and easy to make, and can be loaded with as many fillings as you’d fill any kind of stuffed fresh pasta. Today, I’m sticking with a delicious four cheese filling that will fill my little pasta circles with creaminess and flavor galore!
As for a sauce, I wanted to keep things light and simple so I will be doing a quick sauce made with cherry tomatoes and an oil infused with garlic and sage.
All together, it should be malto bene!
Makes 4 servings
For the Pasta:
400g (14oz) 00 flour, or all purpose flour
4 large eggs
Salt, for the pasta water
For the Filling:
8oz whole milk ricotta cheese
8oz mascarpone cheese
8oz gorgonzola
8oz finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano
For the Sauce:
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
4 large fresh sage leaves
A pinch of chili flakes
2 pints whole cherry tomatoes
Salt and pepper
Grated Parmigiano Reggiano, for topping
Dump the flour and eggs into a food processor, then let it run until a stiff, workable dough forms, adding a bit of water if the dough looks too dry. Dump the dough onto a clean worksurface, then knead it for a few minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic. Cover the dough with an inverted bowl, and leave to rest on the counter for 20 minutes.
(How can you tell your pasta dough is ready for resting? Press your thumb onto a smooth side of the dough, if the indent that makes springs back a bit, you’re good to go!)
To make the filling, rinse out the food processor then add all 4 cheeses and blend until it becomes thick and creamy. Set aside while you roll the pasta.
Cut the pasta dough into 4, then use a rolling pin or your pasta roller to roll each piece into long, very thin sheets, keeping any dough you’re not working with covered. Use a 3-inch round cookie cutter to stamp out rounds from each pasta sheet.
(Don’t throw away those pasta scraps! Save them for the next time you want to make pasta)
Take a tablespoon of the cheese filling and put that into the center of each pasta circle, then like folding a calzone, take one side and fold that around the filling to create that half-moon shape. Use your fingers to squeeze out the air and to press the two sides of the pasta together.
(Have some leftover cheese filling? Well, you could save it for the next time you make this recipe…or just spread it on crackers!)
Once all of the mezzaluna are formed, bring a wide saucepan of salted water to a simmer.
While the water heats up, heat up the olive oil, garlic and sage leaves in a frying pan over medium heat until the garlic turns golden, the sage becomes crispy and the oil is infused. Take the garlic and sage out with a slotted spoon and move to a plate lined with paper towels. Set aside for garnish.
In that same oil, add the chili flakes and tomatoes, season with salt and pepper then cook for about 5 minutes, tossing now and then, until the tomatoes are blistering and become very soft, then use a potato masher to crush the tomatoes into a chunky mixture.
Finally, it’s time to cook the mezzaluna. Lower all of your mezzaluna into the water and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until they all float to the water’s surface. Steal a ladleful of the pasta cooking water and add along with the mezzaluna to the pan with the tomatoes. Toss to combine then cook for about 1-2 minutes, or until the sauce thickens slightly. Season the tomato mixture with salt and pepper to taste.
To serve, divide and pile your mezzaluna high onto plates, then top with the reserved garlic and sage, plus a good amount of grated Parmigiano.
