What do you do when you are given a pasta maker? I took it out of the box, looked at the stylish design and put it on display. I ignored it for some days and then took the handsome Italian under my arms. ” Let’s make pasta.”  The thing is, you need to take some time to master the skills. Once you got it its quick and easy to make fresh pasta. I had made ravioli once before with an Italian friend. Her work desk was swept clean and covered in flower, eggs and another handsome pasta machine. In no time she had produced simple clean sheets of dough that we filled with different cheeses and ate with just some oil, black pepper and  fresh basil.

This time I also made rectangles and filled them with a mushroom mixture. She will be proud of me!

[highlight]INGREDIENTS [/highlight]

Fresh pasta dough
Filling:
Olive oil
10 to 12 abalone mushrooms
2 garlic cloves
2 rosemary twigs
150 g parmesan cheese
coarse sea salt
ground pepper

[highlight] INSTRUCTIONS[/highlight]

1. Follow any recipe for fresh pasta dough and turn into rectangles of 6x4cm.

2. After I made the pasta strips I prepared the filling.

3. Get the frying pan hot and put in a splash of oil.

4. Add your mushrooms and rosemary and toss for up to three minutes, then add grated garlic and when slightly golden add some grated cheese. Finish with some salt.

5. On one half of the pasta strip place a teaspoon of filling, lightly brush the pasta with water. Fold the other half of the pasta over and pinch it carefully so its closed and all the air is out.

6. Drop the cushions into a large pot of salted boiling water and cook for roughly 3 1/5 minutes.

7. Gently remove them from the pan and season with olive oil, fresh basil salt and pepper. Grate cheese on top and serve with a simple tomato rocket salad and cold crisp glass of white wine. Winter or spring, this dish brings in the sun everyday!