Carrot Ravioli in Carrot Top Pesto
I’ve been working on this recipe for over a year. My first dive into carrot pasta was in Spring of 2022 - right around Easter. There had been a beautiful video on Instagram about someone making carrot-shaped ravioli (adorable, but mine opened up too easily). But the pasta was such a pretty color, and I wanted to find a way to incorporate it here!
When we had the idea for the live show, I knew this dish had to be in it. And working with DeNigris products was the thing that tied it all together! I’ve used their Saba on pasta before, typically with a simple butter and sage sauce (highly recommend), but I wanted to see if it would work with the pesto - and it’s actually perfect!
Carrots are cousins of parsley, and the greens have a similar, herby, flavor - sometimes a little too strong for the pesto (which is why I always say taste it!). The sweetness of the Saba balances the dish out really well. If you find you’re not a fan of the carrot greens flavor, try tossing some basil into the pesto (or swapping the mint for basil before you start) that’ll help give it a more familiar flavor. Bottom line, those carrot greens are edible and you should definitely be using them!
I hope you guys enjoy this dish and make it your own. Personally I think this would make a GREAT start to a Thanksgiving meal.
Buon Appetito!
Carrot Ravioli:
Serves 4 as a first course
For the Pasta:
3 carrots, peeled and cut into thirds
1 C. flour
pinch of salt
1 egg
Filling:
1 C. ricotta, strained
1/4 C. parmiggiano
1/4 tsp. lemon zest
1 Tbs. honey
pinch of cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
Leaves from 3 sprigs of thyme
Carrot Top Pesto:
1 bunch of carrot greens, cleaned
1/2 C. fresh mint
1/3 C. pistachio
1/4 C. pecorino cheese
1 clove garlic
zest of 1/2 lemon
pinch of salt
3/4 - 1 C. evoo
1 Tbs. DeNigris Vinegar Fruttati Saba
Put the carrots in a small saucepan and cover with cold water. Add a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Allow to cook until fork tender, about 10-12 minutes. Remove the carrots and place in a blender with a few tablespoons of the cooking water. Puree until smooth. Reserve 1/4 C. of the puree to make the pasta dough, and freeze or discard the rest.
To make the pasta, place the flour onto a work surface. Add the salt. Create a well and add in the carrot puree and egg. Use a fork to gently start to combine the egg, carrot and flour. It will start to look like cake batter. At that point, you can begin to use your hands to incorporate the rest of the flour from the board and knead the dough. Continue kneading for about 10 minutes until the dough is smooth, not sticky, and bounces back when pressed on. *Carrots add a fair amount of moisture to the dough, you may need to add additional flour as you go. Keep working the dough and adding flour until the desired consistency is reached.
Wrap the dough in plastic and set aside.
Make the filling by combining the strained ricotta with the parmigiano, lemon zest, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg and thyme. Stir well until evenly mixed. Taste and adjust for seasoning.
To make the ravioli, cut pieces of the dough and roll flat, either with a rolling pin or using a pasta machine. Use a teaspoon or small coffee spoon to dot the sheet with filling. Make sure you leave enough room in between each spoonful to close and cut the pasta all the way around. Fold the pasta sheet over itself and the filling (in half lengthwise). Use your thumbs to gently seal the dough and press any air out from around the filling. Use a sharp knife or pasta cutter to separate the ravioli. You can also use a fork to gently press the edges of the ravioli closed if you don’t have a pasta cutter. Set the ravioli onto a flour dusted tray. You can leave them out if you’re cooking them right away, OR freeze the ravioli on the tray, and then place them in a bag for later use.
To make the Pesto: Add the carrot greens, mint, pistachios, pecorino, garlic, lemon and salt to the bowl of a food processor. Give it a few quick spins to cut everything into small pieces. Use the spot at the top to drizzle in the olive oil with the machine running. For a thinner pesto, add more oil. For a thicker consistency use less. Open the machine and taste, adjust any seasoning as need. *Carrot tops taste a lot like parsley, this is a very herby pesto. If you prefer a more traditional flavor use basil in place of the mint.
To serve the dish, bring a large pot of well salted water to a rolling boil. Add the ravioli. When they float they are ready. Add the pesto to a large sauté pan and set it over low heat. When the ravioli are ready, transfer them using a spider or slotted spoon from the water to the pesto. Coat the ravioli in the pesto. Serve 4-5 ravioli per person with a drizzle of DeNigris Fruttati Saba on top.