Ingredients

• 400g/14oz ‘00’ pasta flour
• plus extra for dusting
• 4 free-range eggs
• mixed with 1-2 tbsp water as necessary
• 200g/7oz ricotta
• drained
• 1 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan
• plus extra to serve
• 4 tsp finely chopped fresh chives
• 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1 tsp finely chopped fresh marjoram leaves
• 1 tsp finely chopped fresh oregano leaves
• 60g/2oz fresh basil leaves
• 1 garlic clove
• finely chopped
• 50g/1¾oz Parmesan
• grated
• plus extra to serve
• 75ml/2¾fl oz extra virgin olive oil
• 100g/3½oz fresh peas
• 100g/3½oz runner beans
• trimmed
• cut into 2cm/¾in lengths
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• mint sprigs
• to serve (optional)

Directions

• For the cappellacci
• place the flour and eggs into a mixing bowl or the bowl of a food processor. Either rub the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients using your fingertips or blitz until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
• Turn out the mixture onto a lightly floured work surface and bring it together as a dough. Knead lightly for 2-3 minutes until smooth and elastic.
• Wrap the dough in cling film and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile
• mix the ricotta
• Parmesan and herbs in a bowl until well combined. Season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside or chill until needed.
• When the pasta has chilled
• roll it out on a lightly floured work surface until very thin using a rolling pin. Alternatively
• dust the rollers of a pasta machine with flour and feed portions of the pasta dough through the rollers
• working from the widest to the narrowest setting
• reducing the machine by one setting each time the pasta sheet is passed through it.
• Cut a series of 7.5cm/3in squares from each sheet of pasta using a sharp knife.
• Brush the edges of each pasta square with a little water and place one spoonful of the ricotta mixture into the centre of each.
• One by one
• pick up one corner of each pasta square and fold it over the filling to meet the opposite corner. Press the edges of the pasta together to seal
• creating a triangular shaped parcel.
• Gently squash the filling of each parcel slightly to fill the space. Bring the tips of the long edge of each triangle together
• then press to hold in place. Repeat the process with all of the filled pasta squares.
• For the pesto
• blend the basil
• garlic and Parmesan to a fine purée in a food processor. Pour in the olive oil and blend again until smooth. Season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Transfer the pesto to a frying pan and set aside.
• Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add the peas and beans and simmer for 3-4 minutes
• or until tender. Drain well and add to the frying pan with the pesto.
• Bring a fresh batch of salted water to the boil in the same saucepan. Cook the cappellacci in batches for 1-2 minutes
• or until they float to the surface of the water
• then remove from the pan using a slotted spoon and transfer to the pan containing the pesto. Repeat the process with the remaining cappellacci.
• Add a couple of spoonfuls of the pasta water to the frying pan containing the pesto. Heat until the mixture is warmed through
• stirring carefully to combine.
• To serve
• divide the cappellacci and pesto among serving bowls and sprinkle with extra grated Parmesan. Garnish with a few sprigs of mint.