Ingredients

• 250g/9oz plain ‘00’ flour
• 50g/2oz fine semolina
• plus extra for dusting
• 2 large free-range eggs (preferably organic)
• 3 large free-range egg yolks (preferably organic)
• 200g/7oz ricotta (preferably sheep’s milk ricotta)
• 2 tbsp chopped feathery fennel tops
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ½ garlic clove
• 110g/4oz walnuts
• juice of ½ lemon
• 75g/3oz parmesan
• grated (or other vegetarian hard cheese)
• 2 tbsp full-fat milk
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley
• 50g/2oz unsalted butter

Directions

• For the pasta
• place the flour and eggs and egg yolks into a food processor and process for one minute until the dough comes together.
• Cover in cling film and place in the fridge to rest for 30 minutes. When chilled
• divide the dough in half and keep one portion for another meal.
• Roll the remaining half of the dough through a pasta machine
• gradually reducing the thickness
• until the pasta is rolled as thin as possible. Dust with the semolina and set aside in the fridge until needed.
• For the pansotti filling
• beat the ricotta and chopped fennel together in a bowl and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Take the pasta from the fridge and lay out on the work surface. Working 2cm/1in from the edge of the longest side
• place heaped teaspoons of the filling at intervals along the length of the pasta with a 3cm/1¼in gap between each one.
• Brush between each portion of filling with a pastry brush dipped in water
• then fold the unfilled half of the pasta sheet over to cover.
• Using your two little fingers
• push the pasta down round each portion of filling to seal. Make sure that there is no trapped air inside or the pasta will burst during cooking.
• Using a round pastry cutter
• cut around the filling to create half-moon shapes. Pick them up individually to make sure each one is airtight. They will keep in a fridge on a floured tray for up to two days
• or you can cook them immediately.
• For the walnut sauce
• crush the garlic with a pinch of sea salt in a pestle and mortar
• then add the walnuts. Pound until smooth
• then mix in the lemon juice
• parmesan
• milk
• olive oil and parsley.
• Whisk until the sauce emulsifies
• then season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Cook the pansotti in a large pan of salted boiling water for 3-4mins. The water should be at a fast
• rolling boil.
• Meanwhile
• melt the butter in a large frying pan. Drain the pasta
• add to the frying pan and mix to coat in the butter.
• Add a generous spoonful of the walnut sauce and stir the pasta to coat. Add a good grinding of black pepper and serve
• with extra walnut sauce if desired.