Ingredients
Filling
125 g pork loin
80g pork cheek
80g bacon
1 brown onion
1/2 bunch spring onion
30g Parmesan Cheese grated or shaved
80ml cream (only at the end to bind the mixure)
80g chopped spinach
Pasta Dough
200g plain flour
2 eggs
30ml water
1 tablespoon chopped tarragon
1 tablespoon chopped nasturtiam petals
Method
When I managed to get myself into the top 28 Queensland Chefs I chose this amazingly delcious dish as my starter entry.
Not only is it quick to make, but it’s super decadent and it’s just special.
1Blend the pork, pork cheek and bacon together in a food processor. Heat and grease a non-stick frying pan with cooking spray until nice and hot. Add the pork mince to the pan and let it brown off beautifully and the fat render out and get nice and brown and caramelised before adding the onion and springonion that has also been minced in the food processor. Reduce the heat and cook through. When cooked take a few spoons out for garnish and then add the cream, puree until nice and smooth. Add the cheese and set aside and cool down completely.
2While the filling is cooling, make the pasta dough by throwing the flour, eggs, snipped herbs and water into a bowl. Mix to form a dough ball by suing a strong spoon. Once you have used the spoon to bring the ingredients together, knead on a floured surface for about a minute or two to make the mixture nice and soft and pliable. Set aside.
3 While the dough is resting and the filling is cooling, add 125 g butter to a pan with 2 tablespoons tarragon pulled off the stem, and some nasturtiam leaves. Melt the butter and then let the foam rice to the top, keep cooking until the foam starts to go ever so slighly brown, you will have to watch it closely so it doens’t burn. Put a pot of water on to boil, salt the water to taste.
4 Dust a surface with flour, and then roll out the dough until it’s long and thin and even, do not let it stick when you roll, add flour as you go, make it easy on yourself and use flour to prevvent the flour from sticking to the counter and the rolling pin. ONce nice and thin, cut out circles with a cookie cutter, take two pieces of dough rounds, brush a little water around the outside of one of the pieces of dough, place a teaspoon full of cold filling in the middle, and then top with another piece of the dough. Shape and press down to make sure the edges are sealed. Boil the ravioli for 6-8 minutes until nice and tender but still el dente.
5 Serve the tender ravioli with the brown butter sauce, some of the garnish gravel, and some freshly chopped spinach and some shaved Parmesan.
Serve and enjoy!