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BlogInBo: discovering Bologna and its surroundings

Discovering enchanting places right near our home is always a pleasant surprise and Bologna and its surroundings were one of those discoveries for me. That happened at BlogInBo, the 3-day Emilian event for real Italian tourists.

BlogInBo: discovering Bologna and its surroundings

Dozza, an open-air museum

We set out from the hills of Bologna in search of some fresh air in the scorching days of late June, and we do so from one of the most beautiful villages in Italy, Dozza, with its unique little houses with their colourful murals that an enlightened mayor in 1960 had planned to make the village an open-air museum.

With time passing, brushstroke after brushstroke, Dozza has become a small work of art. Every step captures the gaze, and it is also worth taking the time to visit the Rocca Sforzesca that houses the Museum and, for food and wine lovers, the Regional Enoteca of Emilia Romagna for tastings and purchases.

In the evening, Dozza transforms into a nativity scene, dotted with the lights of the small restaurants, many of which also offer gluten-free options, considering that the lion’s share is taken up by local deli meats and Bolognese meat sauce (asking for a gluten-free pasta seems to be a feasible undertaking!).

Bologna the Learned

The history of Bologna’s university permeates the streets, buildings, statues and faces of the many students who crowd the porticoes, cheerfully huddled around elegantly-dressed friends with the ever-present laurel wreath marking new horizons.

As we walk along Via D’Azeglio, the street of the famous illuminations, we hear humming of the most popular verses of the songs of Raffaella Carrà, a beloved Bolognese who died recently. And the same happens as we pass in front of the house of another local artist who made Italian song unique, Lucio Dalla, whose traces and memories come up in various corners of the city.

Omaggio a Lucio Dalla sui muri di Bologna

to Lucio Dalla on the walls of Bologna

Passing medieval courtyards, towers and squares, we then enter the heart of the Learned: theArchiginnasio. Here we find the Municipal Library with its inaccessible treasures and an imposing Anatomical Theatre that inspires both reverence and imagination!

The Anatomical Theatre inside the Archiginnasio

It is no coincidence that such a place of science and medicine arose in Bologna in the mid-1600s. Its purpose was keeping under control the activities that previously had been carried out secretly, in private homes, by physicians whose dissection activities walked the fine line between science and witchcraft.

And without ever having to give up the pleasant embrace of the 38 km of arcades, we immerse ourselves in the maze of market streets with their deli shops, stores, trattorias and osterias: a riot of fresh pasta and deli meats that are absolute proof that the second adjective historically linked to Bologna has not been undermined by new food fashions.

Bologna the Fat

A stop at the historic workshops of Tamburini and Simoni to shop for good food because since 1465 at theOsteria del Sole you can only buy wine: definitely an invitation to honour all the good things on the way to Vicolo Ranocchi.

The Osteria del Sole is the meeting point of local people, it is the place where social classes disappear and bottles of Sangiovese from Romagna and the most expensive French champagne are sold in equal numbers. It is the place where the greatest personalities of cinema and sport have stopped to taste the pink mortadella whose unmistakable aroma is more insidious than Ulysses’ Sirens.

So, despite all the good intentions to resist temptation and indulge in just one slice, we end up satisfied and satiated, ready for a stop at the coffee shop for the last treat for the senses: an espresso from Terzi where we try a new, intoxicating coffee blend.

From earth to heaven

Never have the 498 steps of the Torre degli Asinelli been so invoked to walk off the sumptuous lunch! The keyword: punctuality, because the Tower must be climbed strictly with a reservation and at the appointed time, so to organise your activities in the best possible way, stop by at the offices of Bologna Welcome and Extra Bo in Piazza Maggiore where you can find all the information, buy tickets and book access and visits.

le scale per salire sulla torre degli asinelli

The stairs to the Asinelli Tower

In addition to the view of the city from its highest point, the Tower offers us a few refreshing raindrops and the desire to continue enjoying the sky above Bologna by reaching the city’s other symbol, the monument that announces to all the approach into Bologna: the Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca.

Refreshing excursion with the little train to admire the succession of arches that, with their 3,796m, form the longest portico in the world and reach the Sanctuary, allowing pilgrims to be sheltered from the weather and heat. Among the bright green trees of the Colle della Guardia, the warm orange of the Basilica stands out even more imposing against the backdrop of a postcard-perfect turquoise sky.

Bologna and surroundings it’s egg pasta

I have no idea how many times I have made egg pasta, nor how many times I have taught how to make it in my life, yet I could not resist the temptation to take part in the Tortelloni and Tagliatelle making course held by the fabulous Monica and Barbara from Tryandtaste in Monteveglio, about half an hour’s drive from Bologna.

Do you know what I love about fresh pasta? That each family has its own version of each dish, an extra or less ingredient that makes their tortellone simply unique. So from my rolling-pin companions I learnt not only how to seal the pasta the Bologna way, but also how to flavour the filling with parsley and a pinch of garlic, a forbidden ingredient for the Bertinelli’s home-made fillings.

With rolling pins and pasta cutters, the cutting boards are soon filled with the most inviting and pot-bellied Tortelloni and soft nests of Tagliatelle, which, while we take photos and videos, are already waiting for us, seasoned and fragrant on the work table masterfully transformed into a simple but sumptuous banquet: Butter Tortelloni, sage and Parmesan cheese authentic meat sauce Tagliatelle.

You do know I was well trained to deal with Bologna’s culinary exertions, and yet, every time I eat a good meat sauce my palate is always amazed as if it were the first time I tasted that recipe! And perhaps there is a reason for this because, in Bologna every one has a own version of the sauce using a different cut of beef or pork, adding more or less tomato purée or paste, the much-debated glass of milk, you name it: to each his own meat sauce! Mine? I’m going to tell you shortly here on the blog pages.

The good and the beautiful that are good for the environment

As in all self-respecting shows, our BlogInBo could only end with a grand finale, this time in the rolling hills of the Regional Park of the Abbey of Monteveglio, surrounded by the vineyards of the organic winery of the Corte d’Aibo farmhouse.

It was in this corner of paradise that in 1989 Antonio Capelli and Mario Pirondini took over 35 hectares of land to give life to their avant-garde project of creating an organic farm. Today it is complemented by a splendid cellar where the wines rest for part of their life in buried clay amphorae that allow the grapes to preserve all their goodness until the skilful knowledge of the winemakers assembles them into the magical combinations of Corte d’Aibo’s 14 labels.

L'anforaia della cantina di Corte d'Aibo

The amphorae of the Corte d’Aibo winery

The pleasure of fresh sparkling Pignoletto gives us relief from the heat of lunchtime, accompanied by a crouton served with the summer truffle of this land full of surprises: the truffle that the Appennino Food Group searches with the help of the lagotto dogs in the surroundings of Savigno, the little-known home of this underground treasure.

Then, a glass of Rugiada, a still white wine with no added sulphites, which combines the fragrant Malvasia di Candia with the slightly bitter touch of Grechetto Gentile, leads us to the final climax: the tasting of Franceschini’s artisan mortadella which could only be called Opera.

Definitely a work of art: made only from the finest Italian pork, stuffed into natural casings, hand-tied, slowly stewed and free of preservatives, flavourings and allergens – in short, to be enjoyed to the last bite and with eyes closed so as not to miss even the most hidden aroma.

Simone Franceschini affetta la sua Opera

Simone Franceschini slicing his Opera

Here at Corte d’Aibo I would love to stop and admire the sunset behind the neat rows of vines because I am sure it is a breathtaking spectacle, but the schedules of each of our BlogInBo companions oblige us to say goodbye to this land and to our new friends. I feel I can say that it will not be long before I return to retrace the path I have trodden because beautiful, good and healthy things should be shared, Ilaria’s word.

June 28, 2022/0 Comments/by Ilaria Bertinelli

The Winter Flower: Strozzapreti with Radicchio and pumpkin fondue

Food Tours, Primi piatti, Video ricette

Radicchio di Treviso PGI in gluten free cuisine: how to cook Strozzapreti with Radicchio and pumpkin fondue to colour your table and make the whole family happy.

The ‘Winter Flower’ contest

To publicise the work and attention that farmers in the typical area devote to radicchio, the Consorzio Tutela del Radicchio di Treviso PGI and Radicchio Variegato di Castelfranco PGI which gathers together the producers of these incredible vegetables (also known as‘winter flowers‘ for their shape that evokes that of a flower) decided to launch a contest throughout Italy where 10 bloggers from various regions were asked to marry Radicchio with their own culinary traditions and to propose a recipe to be enjoyed when seated and one to be eaten standing.

Are you ready to see my ideas? Let’s start with the “seated recipe”: Strozzapreti with radicchio and pumpkin fondue.

The term Radicchio does not indicate a single vegetable. Depending on personal gastronomic habits and one’s area of origin, certainly the word Radicchio brings to mind different types of vegetables.

In Italy, the place in the front row is certainly taken by Radicchio from Treviso, a radicchio that holds many surprises, not only in terms of taste and versatility in cooking, but also for the way in which it is producedrarely known to consumers.

Radicchio Rosso di Treviso PGI: early and late

The acronym PGI stands for Protected Geographical Indication, but what does this designation imply? It implies that the Radicchio referred to is grown in a very specific geographical area where the soil, climate and production method make it unique and inimitable.

The characteristics of Radicchio di Treviso are therefore different from any other product, to the point that if a seedling were grown in another part of the planet, the end result would be profoundly different: this is one of nature’s many miracles.

Early Radicchio, called “precoce”

As the name implies, this is the Radicchio whose harvest begins in September (which is why you will not see it used in these recipes as it is not available) after the plants are tied with a rubber band so that light cannot penetrate them for 15-20 days. Consequently, when the large tufts are harvested, the outer leaves are removed directly in the field, while the precious dark red central part is washed and destined for our tables.

Late radicchio, called “tardivo”

Radicchio Tardivo for sale on the shelves of a greengrocer

This is the Radicchio we most often associate with the name Treviso and is also the type I used in my recipe for Strozzapreti.

Unlike what one might imagine for a vegetable, its colour and flavour are highly dependent on the process. It is called Tardivo because it is after four months in the field, in November, that a turning point occurs: the first cold weather ‘burns’ the outer leaves, giving them their typical ‘blade’ shape. At this point, Radicchio heads are extracted from the soil with their roots, transported to the growers’ farms and placed in tanks filled with 10-12 degree water from local springs.

The process is called “forced whitening‘: water and the absence of light cause new leaves without chlorophyll to develop inside, with a typical white and purplish-red colour.

Careful trimming and a final wash prepare Radicchio for its final destination on a long and fascinating journey: the most varied and extraordinary dishes.

I hope you are now looking forward to using Radicchio in the kitchen and preparing this fresh homemade pasta, for which I recommend involving even the youngest members of the family: it will be much more fun to forge these tasty little cylinders than to play with any toy modelling dough! Watch the video to find out how to cook this recipe. And if you want another idea for using Radicchio, try my Ricotta dumplings with radicchio.

Strozzapreti with Radicchio and pumpkin fondue

22.8g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients for Strozzapreti for 4 servings

100g Radicchio di Treviso PGI Tardivo
100g water (taken from the water used to blanch Radicchio)
100g gluten free breadcrumbs, brand Nutrifree**
100g gluten free pasta flour mix, brand Molino Dallagiovanna**
1 egg
salt

Ingredients for the pumpkin fondue

200g pumpkin already peeled and seeded
120g milk
120g fresh cream
50g Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated
Radicchio di Treviso PGI Tardivo
salt and pepper

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

*Ingredients whose labels must read “gluten-free” (or, in Italy, present on Prontuario AIC)

Preparing the dough for Strozzapreti and fondue

Put a pot of water on the stove and bring it to the boil; throw in the washed Radicchio tardivo and blanch it for about 1 minute in the boiling water. Remove the Radicchio with the help of a skimmer and throw it into cold water immediately, but keep the scalding water. Drain the Radicchio and leave it in a colander so that it loses as much water as possible.
Put the breadcrumbs in a bowl and, to wet them, use 100g of the boiling water used for the Radicchio: pour it in gradually while stirring the breadcrumbs with a wooden spoon. Let everything cool down.
Slightly wring the blanched Radicchio with your hands to remove excess water and chop it finely on a cutting board using a knife or a half-moon. Add the chopped Radicchio to the breadcrumbs, then complete by adding flour, egg and salt.
Knead all the ingredients to obtain an even mixture that will be rather moist. Wrap it in cling film and let it rest for about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the fondue. Place milk and cream in a thick-bottomed saucepan, bring to a gentle boil and allow the liquid to reduce to half. Remove from the heat and add the grated Parmesan cheese, stirring until it melts perfectly.
Cut the pumpkin into cubes and cook it in the microwave for 4 minutes at maximum power in a closed container, or in a static oven at 200g for the time needed to make the pumpkin soft (the time will depend on the size of the cubes). Mash the pumpkin with a fork to obtain a purée, then add it to the fondue, mix well and season with salt and pepper.

Shaping Strozzapreti and completing

Take small pieces of dough and, with the help of a dusting of brown rice flour, roll them out with a rolling pin to a thickness of about 2mm; cut small strips about 4cm long and 1.5cm wide, place them between the palms of your hands and slide your hands in the opposite direction so that the strip becomes a sort of twist.
Lay the Strozzapreti on a tray lightly dusted with brown rice flour and continue until all the dough is used up.
Heat up the Radicchio blanching water; pour the pumpkin fondue into a large non-stick pan and heat it up slightly. When the water in the pot comes to the boil, throw in the Strozzapreti, cook them for a few minutes until they rise to the surface and with a slotted spoon remove them and throw them into the pan with the fondue.
Allow the Strozzapreti with the fondue to take on flavour for a few minutes, then serve hot, topped with a few pieces of fresh Radicchio.

Strozzapreti with Radicchio ready to be enjoyed

Version with gluten of Strozzapreti with radicchio and pumpkin fondue

Replace the gluten-free flour with standard flour and adjust the amount of water used to scald the breadcrumbs so that all the breadcrumbs are moistened, but not creamy.

February 5, 2021/0 Comments/by Ilaria Bertinelli

Oh, deer! Potato and venison ravioli with Grappa del Trentino

Food Tours, Primi piatti

Why participate in a contest entitled ‘Trentino Grappa on your plate’?

For many reasons, but firstly because Grappa is a naturally gluten free distillate and because, when used in cooking, it can be enjoyed without too much concern by those with diabetes, so try my Potato and venison ravioli with Grappa del Trentino.

The invitation from the Istituto Tutela della Grappa del Trentino therefore came to me with immense joy also because I wanted to know more about Grappa since it is an exclusively Italian product (distillates produced in a similar way in other countries of the world are called Acquavite).

After meeting my fellow adventurers, namely the three other bloggers involved Annalisa from the blog Mi manca il saleOrsola of Ockstyle and Paola of Profumo di vaniglia, some chit-chat, a bite to eat and off to face the lion’s den of Trento (who said it’s cold in northern Italy??).

How Trentino grappa is produced

The first stop on this short but intense journey is the Pisoni Winery and Distillerywhere the family has been producing grappa since 1852 in a corner of paradise known as Valle dei Laghi, a strip of land between Lake Garda and the Brenta Dolomites where the microclimate resulting from the presence of large expanses of water and the altitude of the surrounding mountains guarantees those temperature swings between day and night that allow the grapes to develop unique perfumes and aromas.

Esposizione di prodotti della distilleria Pisoni

Pisoni distillery product display

We are accompanied by Giuliano, the brother who takes care of grappa in the family. He starts explaining to us that grappa is an alcoholic beverage obtained from the distillation of grape marc, i.e. the skins and seeds that remain after the grapes have been pressed to make wine.

Here at Pisoni’s, the vats and stills, in the silence immobilised by the seals affixed by the Customs Agency controlling the production subject to payment of excise duties, seem to be waiting for the moment when they will puff with steam, from September to November.

At that time of year, the vat is filled with grape marc and water, the latter is heated and turns into steam which, carrying with it the alcoholic and aromatic part, rises to the top, entering a tube that passes into a cooler where it condenses and returns to liquid form. This first distillate is called phlegm and has an alcohol content of 20-22 degrees since it still contains a part of water.

The phlegm is then cleaned by placing it in a bain-marie vat, i.e. heated by steam flowing through an interspace, so as to separate the good vapours from the less pleasant ones according to evaporation temperatures: the first ones to evaporate and be eliminated are called heads, the central part known as heart is kept, while the final part called tail is also removed. The great difficulty and skill of the master distiller lies in knowing when to make these “cuts” during distillation in order to preserve only the best of the distillate’s aromas and scents.

From raw grappa to finished grappa

The result of so much work is the raw grappa, i.e. a distillate at 80 degrees, which must undergo a final transformation that consists of adding water to lower the alcohol content to around 40 degrees and filtering it by freezing to remove traces of copper and fat (essential oils derived from grape skins) to obtain a perfectly clear liquid. At this point, the grappa is ready to be bottled or to continue its ageing in barrels for products that will develop specific characteristics.

Do you know how many litres of grappa you get from 100kg of grape marc? From a minimum of 5 to a maximum of 20 litres of raw grappa depending on the quality of the grape marc used: if the grapes are good, healthy and well ripened, they will give us not only better organoleptic characteristics, but also a greater quantity of finished product! The quality of grappa, Giuliano tells us, is made by nature and the master distiller’s cuts.

Giuliano also accompanies us into the cellars dug under the rock of the mountain on which the distillery building rests: here thousands of bottles of Trento DOC sparkling wine rest at a constant temperature of 10°C… a wonderful relief on a ‘red dot’ day of the hottest week of the year according to the weathermen! Well, we enjoy a glass of this splendid bubbly wine before moving on to Palazzo di Roccabruna, home of the Enoteca Provinciale del Trentino and our cooking contest.

The ‘Trentino Grappa on your plate’ Contest

Chef Sebastian Sartorelli , who prepared our mystery boxes, is also waiting for us here. The only certainty is that we will have to use grappa, while on the other ingredients the strictest mystery reigns. At 6 p.m. sharp, after a few photos and the heat rising as the oven and cooker are turned on, we can finally unravel the mystery: venison fillet, buckwheat, Fontal cheese and pear are the compulsory ingredients for our dish, but we also have ‘universal’ ingredients such as flour, eggs, seasonings, some vegetables, herbs and spices… in short, a riot of colours and scents!

You know what? There is no doubt in my mind: my dish will be a ravioli! Of course, here I have wheat flour on hand in addition to buckwheat and not the flours I am used to using to make gluten free ravioli… well, for those of us who are used to working with doughs that are as delicate as silk, a dough made with flour containing gluten is child’s play: rolling out the pastry is incredibly easy, it never breaks!

The filling is a Trentino version of my grandmother’s potato tortelli: boiled potatoes, pears sautéed in grappa, grated Fontal and more grappa to flavour everything instead of Grandma Rina’s liqueur concoction.

Finally, the deer. “Oh, deer!” my interpreting background says to me when I see the venison fillet in the box, an “Oh, my God!” that turns right into “Oh, venison!”, which of course becomes the obligatory name of my dish: Oh, deer! Potato and venison ravioli with Grappa del Trentino.

Yes, I have never cooked venison before, even though I theoretically know how to do it. I macerate it with herbs and grappa while I boil the potatoes and prepare the dough. Finally, butter in the frying pan and when it is hot, I add the venison fillet and brown it on the surface, then add the marinade to evaporate the grappa and obtain a fragrant, slightly hazelnut-coloured cooking juices: exciting aromas!

The tasting and the jury

By now everything is ready and I just have to complete my project and let the judges taste it: Mirko Scarabello, President of the Istituto di Tutela Grappa del Trentino, as well as our mentor on the subject, Sebastian Sartorelli, chef for the events at the Enoteca and chef at the Hosteria Toblino in Madruzzo (TN), and Maria Grazia Brugnara, in charge of the promotion of wine and food products within the Trento Chamber of Commerce, as well as being a cheese, wine, oil and grappa taster.

The judges evaluate our dishes based on 6 criteria and on a scale from 0 to 10… but do you know the extraordinary thing? We all rank within a voting range of only 2 points and the winner of the contest is Annalisa from the blog ‘Mi manca il sale’ (I have no salt) because her dish is the one that goes best with grappa even when tasting it, bravo!

The one for which my ‘Oh, deer!’ stood out? The creativity and the techniques used… I assure you that as soon as I find a venison fillet like the one Chef Sebastian gave us, I will immediately cook it for my family, also because in Parma now there will be no shortage of Grappa!

‘Oh, deer!’ Potato and venison ravioli with Grappa del Trentino

carbohydrates 27g per 100g of raw ravioli without venison fillet

Ingredients for the buckwheat egg pasta for 6 servings

200g Petra 1** or Nutrifree flour for fresh pasta** (in the contest I used 250g wheat flour 00)
50g buckwheat flour*
3 eggs
salt and water (only if the dough is too hard)

Ingredients for the filling

400g potatoes
100g pear
80g Fontal cheese
1 generous shot of aged Grappa del Trentino
salt and pepper

Ingredients for the venison

1 small venison fillet
30g butter
1 small glass of aged Grappa del Trentino
aromatic herbs to taste
extra virgin olive oil
salt

Ingredients to complete

lemon peel
fresh oregano
flowers of aromatic herbs

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

*Ingredients whose labels must read “gluten free” (or, in Italy, present on Prontuario AIC)

Preparation of Potato and venison ravioli

First boil the unpeeled potatoes until soft when piercing them with the tines of a fork.
Marinate the venison fillet with herbs to taste, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a small glass of grappa.
Prepare the dough: make a well with the 2 flours, crack the eggs in the centre, add a pinch of salt and start by beating the eggs with a fork; gradually incorporate the flour until you can knead the mixture using your hands. Only if the dough is too dry, wet your hands with water to complete the operation. When you have obtained a smooth and homogeneous mixture, put it to rest in a clean plastic bag.
Peel the pear, cut it into small cubes and soften it for about ten minutes in a non-stick pan with a dash of grappa. Set it aside.
Mash the potatoes while they are still hot, season with grated Fontal cheese, grappa, cooked pears, salt and pepper.
Prepare the venison fillet. Put the butter in a non-stick frying pan, heat it very well, then add the venison fillet; brown it on all sides over a high heat for a few minutes until the surface is well browned, then add the marinade liquid to reduce it and enhance the browning. Remove from the heat, place both fillet and cooking juices in a small bowl and cover with aluminium foil.
Prepare the ravioli. Roll out the dough thinly, but not too thinly (I set the machine on its last-but-one hole), place ‘nuts’ of filling 5cm apart, fold the pastry over to cover the filling, press the pastry tightly around the filling using your fingers, then cut half moons with a pastry cutter.
Boil the ravioli in lightly salted boiling water, cook them for as long as necessary, feeling the pasta from time to time, drain them with a slotted spoon, place them on a tea towel, then on the serving dish. Dress them with a very thin slice of venison fillet, the venison’s cooking juices, a little grated lemon peel and a few small leaves of fresh oregano and herbs.

Oh, deer! Raviolo di patate e cervo alla Grappa del Trentino

Oh, deer! Potato and venison ravioli with Grappa del Trentino

If you like making ravioli, you can also try Ravioli with prawns and cherry tomatoes

July 2, 2019/0 Comments/by Ilaria Bertinelli

Ravioli with prawns and cherry tomatoes

Primi piatti

On Women’s Day, we thought of offering you an alternative idea to the usual mimosas, a gift for the eyes and the palate: Ravioli with prawns and cherry tomatoes.

Yes, today we want to share a recipe to prepare for the woman you love, but also for a dinner with women friends. In short, for an evening dedicated to the world of women.

Curious?

Very well, then get ready to cook some delicious ravioli with that extra touch: a romantic heart shape.

Ravioli with prawns and cherry tomatoes

18.48g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients for egg pasta

300g gluten free flour mix, brand Petra 3**
5 eggs
10g bitter cocoa*
1 pinch of salt
water

Ingredients for the filling

400g boiled and peeled prawns
300g boiled and peeled potatoes
100g Robiola cheese
salt and pepper

Ingredients for the dressing

500g cherry tomatoes or diced tomatoes
30g extra virgin olive oil
3 basil leaves
salted ricotta cheese, salt, extra virgin olive oil

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

*Ingredients whose labels must read “gluten-free” (or, in Italy, present on Prontuario AIC)

Preparation of Ravioli with prawns and cherry tomatoes

On a cutting board, make a well with the flour and crack the eggs in the centre, add oil and salt.
Start by beating the eggs with a fork and gradually incorporate the flour so that the liquids do not spill out, adding a few tablespoons of water if necessary.
Continue stirring until the mixture is fairly compact.
Now knead the dough with your hands until it becomes smooth and firm. Cover it with cling film and leave it to rest while you prepare the filling.
Mash the potatoes and mix them with the chopped shrimps, robiola cheese, salt and pepper.
Now assemble the ravioli.
Roll out the dough, cut it with a heart-shaped cutter and place the filling in the centre. Finally, close the ravioli by placing another layer of pasta on top. To seal the two parts, you can help yourself with the tines of a fork.
Put a pot of water on the stove and bring it to the boil. In the meantime, sauté the halved cherry tomatoes and basil leaves in a non-stick pan with a little oil, seasoning with salt.
Cook the ravioli in salted water and, once cooked, drain them, dry them on a towel and serve on a plate with the sautéed cherry tomatoes, a generous grating of salted ricotta and a drizzle of mild extra virgin olive oil.

Version with gluten of Ravioli with prawns and cherry tomatoes

Replace the 300g gluten-free flour with wheat flour and knead it with 3 whole eggs and a few tablespoons of water, if necessary.

March 8, 2016/0 Comments/by Ilaria Bertinelli