Gorgonzola, pear and homemade ricotta ravioli

Gorgonzola and pears are the ultimate duo- bold and creamy meets sweet and juicy. Honey and lemon bring out the natural sweetness of the pear in the ravioli. Homemade ricotta helps create creamy, fluffy ravioli. Sure, you could use store-bought ricotta, but why not live your best life and make it fresh? Plus, you can prepare it ahead of time. You will have about 1 cup of leftover homemade ricotta. You could whip it with some honey and spread it onto good bread, put it onto homemade pizza, and the list goes on! Busy week ahead? Assemble the ravioli, freeze them on a parchment-lined baking sheet for an hour so that they do not stick when you transfer them to a larger container afterwards, and stash them away in the freezer until you're ready to cook. Just remember—when cooking frozen ravioli, add a minute or two to the cooking time. Trust me, they’ll be worth the short wait! Check out my gorgonzola, pear and homemade ricotta ravioli recipe. Drizzle some Olinda olive oil in at the end and you will be so happy that you did.

Homemade Ricotta

Yields 1 cup

8 cups whole milk, not ultra-pasteurized

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2-3 tablespoons white vinegar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Bring the milk and salt up to 180-185F in a heavy bottomed pot, stirring occasionally to prevent the milk from scorching or sticking to the bottom of the pot. Add the vinegar and lemon juice and stir JUST once. You do not want to stir more than that, or else the ricotta will not separate correctly. Turn off the heat and let sit for 20 mins. Drain it in a mesh sieve.

Filling

½ cup ricotta, drained

¼ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

½ an egg, beaten

1-2 oz gorgonzola or gorgonzola dolce, crumbled

2 tablespoons peeled and diced pears

1 teaspoon honey

Kosher salt, to taste

Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

½ a lemon, zested

2 sage leaves, thinly sliced, optional

Combine all ingredients in a bowl.

Ravioli

Feeds 2-3

For dough:

1 cup water

2 1/2 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Put the flour in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan, over high heat, bring the water and salt to a simmer. Pour the hot water over the flour. Using a spoon, bring the mixture together into a shaggy dough. On a floured surface, using floured hands, knead the dough for 5-10 minutes, until it comes together. Cover the ball of pasta dough in plastic wrap and let it rest for 10 minutes,

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season with salt.

On a floured surface, roll the rough out until it is about 1/8-inch thick. Using a 2.5-inch cookie or biscuit cutter, cut out little circles. You should get about 30 rounds, enough for 15 ravioli. Fill one side with 2 teaspoons cheese filling, then put the other circle on top, using a fork to seal it shut. Drop into the boiling water until they float and cook through, about 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, and serve with a drizzle of olive oil, and even some cheese (gorgonzola crumbles, parmesan…), cut pears and black pepper! A little lemon zest and sage never hurts either.