Beet Ravioli with Poppyseeds: Casumziei

Ingredients

• 1 pound beets, trimmed and scrubbed
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons
• 1/2 cup ricotta
• 1/2 cup milk
• Salt and pepper
• Basic Pasta Dough, recipe follows
• 1/4 cup poppyseeds
• 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
• Carnia cheese, for grating (Montasio can be substituted)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Drizzle the beets with the olive oil. Wrap in foil and roast for 45 minutes, until very tender. Remove from the heat and, once cooled, peel the beets and mash them with a fork or a potato masher.

In a small bowl, combine the mashed beets, ricotta, and milk and stir well with a wooden spoon to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Allow to cool completely.

Prepare the pasta dough and roll it out to the thinnest setting on a pasta rolling machine. Cut the pasta sheet into 2-inch squares. Place a scant tablespoon of the beet filling on the center of half of the squares and top with the remaining squares, pressing around the edges to seal. Set aside, covered with a damp towel, until ready to use.

Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil and add 2 tablespoons salt. Cook the ravioli in the boiling water until cooked through and tender, about 5 minutes. Drain the ravioli and place in a large serving bowl. Toss with the melted butter and poppyseeds and serve with cheese grated over.

Basic Pasta Dough:

• 3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 extra-large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

Mound 3 1/2 cups of the flour in the center of a large wooden cutting board. Make a well in the middle of the flour and add the eggs and the olive oil. Using a fork, beat together the eggs and oil and begin to incorporate the flour, starting with the inner rim of the well.

As you expand the well, keep pushing the flour up from the base of the mound to retain the well shape. The dough will come together when half of the flour is incorporated.

Start kneading the dough with both hands, using the palms of your hands. Once you have a cohesive mass, remove the dough from the board and scrape up and discard any leftover bits. Lightly reflour the board and continue kneading for 6 more minutes. The dough should be elastic and a little sticky. Wrap the dough in plastic and allow to rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.

Roll the pasta out on a pasta rolling machine to the desired thickness.