Halloumi & Mint Ravioli with Brown Butter, Lemon and Pine Nuts

⏱ 90 min · Serves 4

Cyprus in a parcel: salty halloumi whipped with ricotta, garden mint and lemon zest, folded into silky egg pasta and bathed in nutty brown butter. Fresh, punchy and quietly show-off.

Per serving: 785 kcal · 31.0g protein · 60.0g carbs · 47.0g fat

Ingredients

• 300g '00' flour (plus extra for dusting)
• 3 large eggs
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tsp olive oil
• Pinch of fine salt
• 200g halloumi, coarsely grated
• 150g ricotta, drained
• 20g mint leaves, finely chopped
• Zest of 1 lemon, plus juice of half
• 30g Parmesan or kefalotyri, finely grated
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• 100g unsalted butter
• 40g pine nuts
• 1 small handful extra mint leaves, torn
• Sea salt, to taste

Method

1. Mound the flour on a board, make a well and add the eggs, yolk, oil and salt. Bring together, then knead firmly for 8–10 minutes until smooth and springy. Wrap and rest 30 minutes at room temperature.
2. Mix the grated halloumi, ricotta, chopped mint, lemon zest, grated Parmesan, pepper and nutmeg into a thick, scoopable filling. Taste — halloumi is salty, so hold back on extra salt.
3. Cut the dough into 4 pieces. Roll each through a pasta machine down to the second-thinnest setting (or roll very thinly by hand), keeping the rest covered.
4. Lay a sheet out and spoon heaped teaspoons of filling in a row, 5cm apart. Brush around them with water, lay a second sheet over the top and press out the air around each mound.
5. Cut into squares or rounds with a cutter, sealing the edges well. Dust with flour and set on a floured tray. Repeat — you should get 32–36 ravioli.
6. Bring a wide pan of well-salted water to a gentle boil. Meanwhile melt the butter in a large frying pan with the pine nuts and cook over medium heat, swirling, until the butter smells nutty and the nuts are golden, 3–4 minutes. Take off the heat and add the lemon juice.
7. Cook the ravioli in two batches for 2–3 minutes, until they float and the edges are tender. Lift straight into the butter with a slotted spoon, adding a splash of pasta water to loosen into a glossy sauce.
8. Toss gently, scatter with torn mint and extra grated cheese, and serve immediately.