RICOTTA DUMPLINGS WITH ORECCHIETTE, PEAS AND PROSCIUTTO

Perfectly balanced, this pasta dish is full of flavour explosions.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups orecchiette pasta
• 1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
• 1 cup freshly podded or frozen peas
• 1/2 onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup (60ml) dry white wine
• 4 thin slices prosciutto or ham, sliced
• 2 tablespoons mint leaves

Ricotta dumplings

• 250g fresh ricotta
• 2 tablespoons grated parmesan, plus extra to serve
• 1/3 cup (50g) plain flour
• 1 egg, plus 1 extra yolk
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• Large pinch freshly grated nutmeg

METHOD

• 1
  For the ricotta dumplings, briefly process all the ingredients in a food processor with salt and pepper until smooth. Chill until needed.
• 2
  Cook pasta in a pan of boiling salted water according to packet instructions, adding peas for the final 2 minutes of cooking time, then drain. Rinse briefly in cold water to cool slightly, then drain again. Toss with 1 tablespoon of the oil.
• 3
  Heat remaining oil in a large pan over medium-low heat. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes or until soft. Add the wine, prosciutto, peas and pasta and lightly toss for 1 minute or until pasta is heated through. Arrange the contents of the pan with its juices in a single layer over a large serving platter.
• 4
  Meanwhile, bring a pan of salted water to the boil. Drop the ricotta batter by the teaspoon into the boiling water, cooking 6 at a time, and simmer for 2 minutes. Drain on paper towel while you cook remaining dumplings, then scatter over the pasta. Season well with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, scatter with mint and a little extra parmesan, then drizzle with extra oil and serve warm.

• NOTES

  -

  Orecchiette (small, ear-shaped pasta) and whole nutmeg are from delis and selected supermarkets.