Sweet potato and goats chèvre ravioli

I am glad to report my pasta making skills seem to be improving. While this still isn't the silkiest, thinnest, most luscious ravioli I've ever had - it was certainly presentable, the pasta was a good texture, and the filling was definitely delicious. You don't need a pasta machine to make ravioli, though it does help to get the dough nice and thin. A rolling pin and some patience work just as well. Fortunately, courtesy of a christmas present from my best friend I have a pasta machine so I didn't have to be so patient ;)

Method 

 The pasta dough:
200 g flour, Italian Type 00
2 eggs
olive oil

Sift the flour into a huge mixing bowl or on a chopping board. Make a well in the centre, add  the eggs, then incorporate the flour with your fingers and knead for about 5 minutes or until the dough comes together nicely. If the mix is too firm, add another egg or egg yolk or a teaspoon of olive oil (or, at a pinch a  little water), if it’s too soft, use a little more flour. Knead it lightly, and then shape it into a ball, tightly wrap in cling film and let rest for at least 30 minutes on the counter.

The filling
100g goats chèvre or ricotta (drained, squeezed dry in a cheesecloth)
2 sweet potatoes, roasted till soft and then cooled and peeled
1/2 tsp nutmeg

Mix together the sweet potatoes, chèvre and nutmeg, season with salt and pepper to taste.


Assembly
Roll the pasta into thin sheets with either a pasta machine or your trusty rolling pin.

Place teaspoonful balls of the sweet potato mixture on the dough, and then cover with more dough. Press down to form sealed edges, and cut into shapes.

Cook in boiling salted water until the pasta is al dente.

for the sage burnt butter sauce
100g butter
1 tablespoon lemon juice
5 sage leaves

Add butter to pan and heat until butter begins to foam. At this point, add the sage and cook until butter has browned. Squeeze in the lemon juice and serve sauce immediately over ravioli.

Variation: I had actually intended to use toasted walnuts instead of the sage leaves, but did not have any at the time. I've used them since, and they work well.

Putting it all together

Place the ravioli on a plate with some extra goats chèvre crumbled on top. Finish with the sage burnt butter sauce. Enjoy!