Tortelloni Radicchio

For 6

Ingredients

500 grams radicchio,
150 grams of shredded white of leeks
100 grams butter
30 grams pine nuts
200 grams of a soft and piquant cheese
100 grams parmesan
For sauce
100 grams shredded white of leeks
200 grams butter
30 grams pine nuts

Pasta dough

200 grams of plain flour,
30 grams of semolina
2 eggs
15 ml of olive oil
1 dl approx of warm water.

Method Pasta

Don't use too much.semolina in the pasta because if its too strong it will make the dough break and if it's not the best quality it will also cause breakage. Semolina gives strength and substance to the flour. Be aware that with semolina, the dough will take longer to mix as the semolina does not mount like the flour.

See tortellini and ravioli

Method Filling

Wash radicchio and then boil with a spoon of sugar and salti n very little water otherwise will lose all flavour and colour

Put leeks in 100 grams butter (maybe less) and then add the blanched radicchio (Silvana prefers just to fry the radicchio but then it retains a bitterness which most Australians don't like)

Add a lot of pepper which really lifts flavour. No salt because radicchio has been cooked with salt.

Stew the radicchio and leeks in butter.

Then chop, you can't mince the mixutre because it becomes too wet. It can be left till cold but when hot it cuts more easily.

Then slice in cheese without rind. You can use even bocconcini but does not have much flavour. Texture OK but this dish needs something more piquant. (Tasmanian Mella Limberger is good) Mix cheeses in with a fork. Let the mixture cool whilst making the dough.

Put a heaped spoon of filling onto pasta sheet, fairly close together - a bit more apart than the artichoke mixture because this one is softer and they need a bit more room to spread, when you cook they will open up.

Fold over the sheet and press slowly down, press between each one, try to get the air out. Start from the centre.

The shape, can be round or square. The original ravioli are always square. But you can use a round stamp. Easy way is this, make the shape with your hand in between. In Italy they use a piece of wood, which makes it very quick.

Unlike the artichoke ravioli, with tortellini with radicchio it is better to make squares because that way you can press down more. Press in from the edge, get the air out. Press down the edges with the cutter, takes time but finishes it off well.

Put on tray and let them dry a little bit - (can keep out of the fridge no more than 2 days. The dough protects the filling) - at least one hour.

Pasta filling. Always do the pasta first and then prepare the sauce, filling etc.

For Sauce, Melt butter and cook leeks. Then add pine nuts. As you do this, put a bit of the pasta water in pan to stop the butter from burning and the pine nuts browning. They should stay just golden.

Boil the water, cook the tortellini , about 5 minutes, and then toss in the sauce.