Spinach and Ricotta Ravioli

Ravioli are a very versatile pasta - you can fill them with just about anything.  However, by keeping the ingredients simple, you have a larger selection of sauce and entrée pairings.  These ravioli will go just as well with a tomato-based sauce as they would with a simple drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a grating of fresh parmesan cheese.

Ingredients

• Homemade pasta dough (see recipe)
  
• 1 c. ricotta cheese
• 1 lb. fresh spinach

 Directions

1. Boil 1/4" water in a large stock pot
2. Remove the stems from the spinach and toss into the pot until properly steamed - this only takes a couple minutes
3. Strain the spinach well, pressing as much of the excess water out of it as is possible, then let it cool
4. Finely chop the spinach
5. In a bowl, thoroughly mix together the spinach and ricotta, this will be the ravioli filling
   
6. Take a small portion of the dough (roughly ping-pong ball size) and roll it into a thin, roughly rectangular shape on a floured surface.  I have found that the best way to do this and to avoid making a mess out of your rolling device (rolling pins and empty wine bottles work well for this) is to flour the entire piece of dough, smash it down with your hand, flour it again, roll it out on one side, flip it, flour it, roll it out, flip it, etc.
7. Using a non-serrated knife or pizza cutter, cut off the rounded sides so you have a nice rectangle - this should be 6" wide by 8" high or so
8. Make another single cut through the middle of the dough width-wise, creating two 6" x 4" pieces
9. Add a fork-full of filling to the right half of one of the ravioli shells and spread it across toward the three edges, leaving enough room to seal it in the next step (see top image)
10. Fold the left half over the right and seal by gently pressing the tines of a fork around the open edges of the raviolo
11. Flour a cookie sheet, plate or any other mobile surface for the finished ravioli - be careful if you stack the ravioli as they will stick together if not thoroughly floured
    
12. To cook the ravioli, gently slide a few of them into a large pot of boiling water taking care not to overcrowd them
13. When they are finished cooking, they will float to the top (2 - 3 minutes)
14. 4 or 5 ravioli are large enough for a single serving