Recipe: Swiss Chard Ravioli with Spicy Tomato Sauce

By Nancy Caivano

Swiss Chard Ravioli
with Spicy Tomato Sauce

Serves 6

For pasta:
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup water
2 eggs
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt

For sauce:
4 tbsp olive oil
6 cloves garlic, chopped
(or 2 tsp. jar chopped garlic)
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 tsp red pepper flakes (add more
or less depending on how hot you want it)
3 hot Italian cherry peppers, chopped
2 cans crushed tomatoes
1 cans tomato purée
1 cup red wine
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup chiffonade basil
Salt and Pepper

For filling:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, chopped
(or 1 tbsp jar chopped garlic)
3/4 lb red Swiss chard, stemmed and chopped
2 15-oz containers ricotta
2-1/2 cups grated Pecorino Romano cheese
(or Parmesan)
Salt and Pepper
2 eggs, plus 2 tbsp water, for egg wash

Method:

First prepare pasta:
In a large bowl with wooden spoon, stir 2-1/4 cups flour with remaining ingredients to make a stiff dough. On a well-floured surface knead dough until smooth and not sticky. Wrap dough with plastic wrap and let rest 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare sauce. In a large saucepan, heat 4 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion. Sauté until just beginning to brown. Add red pepper flakes and cherry peppers. Sauté for 10 minutes more. Add tomato purée and wine. Stir to combine. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low. Partially cover. Simmer for 30 minutes. Add parsley and basil. Simmer 20 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm.

Prepare filling:
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; Sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add Swiss chard; toss until wilted and tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and cool 10 minutes. Mix in ricotta and 1 cup Romano. Season with salt and pepper.

Cut pasta dough in half. Roll out both halves of pasta dough very thinly (about 1/8") on a floured board. Cover one half with a damp towel to prevent drying. Drop filling by tablespoon, about 1" apart, on one sheet pasta dough. Brush other sheet of pasta with egg wash. Gently place second sheet of pasta, egg side down on top of first sheet. Gently press around filling to seal. Using a ravioli cutter, biscuit cutter, large cookie cutter, or a sharp knife, cut ravioli. Let cut ravioli rest 10 minutes.

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the ravioli and boil until the ravioli are al dente. Drain, toss gently with the sauce and serve, passing extra sauce, and extra Romano cheese.

Note:
You can substitute any green for the Swiss chard. You can also substitute any tomato or cream sauce for the spicy one here.

You can also make the ravioli ahead of time and freeze them. Place them in a single layer on a baking sheet covered very well with plastic wrap. When frozen, place in zip top plastic bags.