Courtesy of Chef Maximilian, Renaissance Concourse Hotel Atlanta, Georgia

Serves one as an entrée, two as an appetizer.

INSTRUCTIONS:

For the Ravioli:
2/3 cups flour
Pinch of salt
1 egg mixed up with a fork
Rolling pin

For the Cheese Filling:
6 ounces fresh goat cheese
1 cup grated pecorino Romano cheese
4 ounces ricotta cheese
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 Tablespoons parsley flakes
¼ teaspoon black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

For the Ravioli & Cheese Filling:
Make a little hill with the flour and dig a crater at the top (like a volcano). Put the salt and egg in the crater and chop into the hill with a fork. Start kneading the flour mixture with your fingers and keep doing it until you get a ball of dough that isn’t at all sticky. If the dough is too stiff to work, add a teaspoon of water.

Let the ball sit for ½ hour. Spread some flour on a cutting board. Roll out the ball on top of the flour until you get a thin layer of dough. Use a butter knife to cut the dough into large squares the same size.

In the meantime make the cheese filling: Add all ingredients to a food processor and puree, or combine all ingredients, mixing well in a medium size bowl. Cover until ready to spread onto ravioli dough.

Place a spoonful of the cheese filling onto the center of the square. Dip a soft pastry brush, your finger or a soft cloth into an egg wash (egg yolk mixed with a little water) and moisten the four edges of the bottom square. Place another square on top and press gently on the edges to seal. Place finished ravioli under a damp cloth to prevent pasta from drying out. Continue until all squares are filled and sealed.

Cook in gently boiling water until the ravioli float. Remove with a slotted spoon to a damp dishcloth for a final drain.

Below are recipes for either a cream sauce or a pesto sauce:

For a Pesto Sauce:
1-½ ounces pine nuts
2 cups fresh basil
1 clove garlic
Kosher or sea salt to taste
1 ounce grated Parmesan
1-¼ ounces grated pecorino cheese
1-¼ cups extra virgin olive oil

In a food processor, place the pine nuts, basil, garlic, and salt. Process to a paste. Add the cheese and drizzle in the olive oil till smooth and blended. Set aside.

For a Cream Sauce:
2 cups heavy whipping cream
½ cup fresh pesto sauce
¼ cup grated Parmesan
Sea salt or kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Place 2 cups cream in a sauce pan and reduce by half. Add pesto, and ½ or ¾ of the cheese. Stir till melted. Set aside. Retain remainder of the cheese for final topping.

In a large, shallow pasta bowl, place half the ravioli in a pinwheel shape. Pour a small amount of cream sauce on top to moisten. Place remaining ravioli on top in a pinwheel shape. Top with a small amount of the cream sauce. Place remaining cream sauce around the ravioli and sprinkle the dish with the reserved grated cheese.