FRESH NETTLE RECIPES

Steps:

• 1. Pile the flour into a large bowl or a clean work surface and make a well in the middle. Separate the eggs and add the yolks to the well (pop the egg whites in the freezer for making meringues another day). Use a fork to whip up the egg yolks, then gradually bring the flour in from the outside. When it becomes too hard to mix, get your clean floured hands in there and bring it together into a ball of dough. Knead on a flour-dusted surface for around 4 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. Wrap in a damp cloth and leave to relax for 30 minutes.
  2. To make the filling, tear one piece of prosciutto into rough pieces and finely chop the other. Place in a bowl, finely grate in the lemon zest and add a good grating of nutmeg (about ¼), then grate in the Parmesan and crumble in the ricotta. Use a fork to mash everything together and season with black pepper.
  3. On a clean flour-dusted surface, roll out the pasta dough so it’s 1mm thick. Spoon heaped teaspoons of filling every 7cm or so along your sheet of pasta in the very middle. Brush the exposed pasta lightly with water and fold the sheet of pasta in half over the filling.
  4. Working from one side, gently seal around the filling, pushing out the air. Cut into squares with a knife or roller cutter, or stamp them out with a pastry cutter, placing them on a semolina-dusted tray as you go.
  5. To make the quick tomato sauce, peel and finely slice the garlic. Place a large pan on a medium heat with 1 tablespoon of oil. Cook the garlic and chilli flakes for 2 minutes, or until lightly golden, then scrunch in the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper and tear in the basil leaves, reserving a few baby ones for garnish.
  6. Cook the ravioli in a large pan of boiling salted water for 3 minutes, or until tender, then drain – you may need to work in batches.
  7. To make the lemon sauce, melt the butter in a small frying pan over a medium heat and add the lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Toss in the cooked ravioli, then grate in the Parmesan, 1 tablespoon of oil and a little starchy cooking water.
  8. To serve, spoon the tomato sauce onto serving plates, and top with the lemon sauce-coated ravioli. Grate over a little Parmesan and sprinkle with the reserved baby basil leaves, to finish.