Cavolo nero ravioli with roasted squash and crispy pancetta

Serves 4 (Makes about 20 ravioli) Starters and mains

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Method

First, make the pasta. Remove and discard the tough spine from the leaves of cavolo nero by starting at the base and tearing away the green fleshy part right to the tip. Repeat from the base of the other side of the spine so you have no tough pieces on the tender dark leaves.

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and add the cavolo nero. Cook for 4 minutes until tender. Drain, refresh under cold running water and leave to drain.

When you’re ready to make the pasta, squeeze every drop of moisture from the leaves (this is very important) and roughly chop. Put in a food processor and pulse until very fine. Add the flour, salt and eggs and pulse to mix well. Tip onto some floured cling film, wrap and flatten a little, then chill for at least 1½ hours, or overnight.

Meanwhile, make the filling. Prepare, cook and drain the cavolo nero in the same way as for the pasta, only this time cook with the cloves of garlic. When done, remove the garlic and crush to a paste. Put the cooked cavolo nero and garlic in a bowl with the ricotta, parsley and parmesan. Fry the chopped pancetta until crispy, lift out of the pan onto a paperlined plate with a slotted spoon and leave to cool. Fold into the ricotta, then chill the mixture for about 1½ hours or overnight.

Cut the pasta into 4 portions and keep them wrapped. Roll out one piece at a time using a pasta machine (or take smaller pieces and use a rolling pin to get it as thin as possible). Pass the dough through the widest setting, then fold into 3. Do this 3 times, then gradually narrow the setting roll by roll, until you have a thin, pliable sheet of pasta (dust in between rolls with flour if too sticky).

Working with one sheet at a time, cut each sheet into two, then roughly into around 10 pieces about 8cm x 6cm and put a heaped tsp of ricotta filling on half of them. Brush their edges with a little egg white and put the other piece of dough on the top and press to seal. Cut with a pasta wheel dipped in flour and put on a tray lightly dusted with polenta. Repeat with the other 3 portions of pasta.

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and add 2tbsp of the olive oil. Cook 5 ravioli at a time for 3 minutes, basting with the hot water if they rise above the surface (keep the heat at a gentle boil or they may burst). Drain, refresh in cold water, drain again and spoon over the other 2tbsp oil. You can either eat these straight away, or save them for the next day – just brush them in a little oil so they don’t stick and lay them to chill in the fridge, then gently reheat for a few minutes in a pan of simmering water when you are ready to serve.

To serve, fry the slices of pancetta until crisp in a dry frying pan and put on a plate lined with kitchen paper. Toss the squash in the olive oil and fry over a low heat for about 6 minutes until golden. Serve the pasta topped with the slices of pancetta and the squash, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and grind over some pepper.