Beet Ravioli Stuffed with Ricotta and Goat Cheese

There are few flavour companions that I adore more than beets and goat cheese. The combination of the two makes me swoon. So when I came across Martha Stewart's recipe for this beet ravioli I was smitten from the start. First of all, that colour alone could make me cry tears of joy. We could easily stop right there but the happiness I experineced when I tasted this wonderful concoction is one I won't soon forget. By far one of my new favorites, this dish will be making a repeat performance on a regular basis in this house.


Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart:

For the Pasta:
2 medium beets
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 large eggs
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wrap the beets in foil and place on a baking sheet. Place in the oven and roast about 1 hour or until the beets are fork tender. Remove from oven and allow the beets to cool enough to handle. Remove the skins, place in a food processor and puree the beets (you should have 1/2 cup puree).
2. Add eggs to the food processor and pulse until combined. Add flour and salt and process until dough just comes together, about 20 seconds.
3. Transfer the dough to a well-floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic about 5 to 10 minutes, adding more flour if the dough is sticky. Cover and let rest for 1 to 2 hours.
4. Cut the dough into 4 pieces. Roll out each piece to form a thin layer (about 1/8") of dough. Place 1 teaspoon of filling onto one sheet of dough 1/2" from the edge. Continue to place spoonfuls of filling along the dough 1" from each other.
5. Place one of the other pieces of rolled out dough on top of the piece with the filling on it. Pinch the dough around the filling to form the ravioli. Use a sharp knife to cut out the ravioli into individual squares. Pinch the edges of each ravioli with the tines of a fork. Set aside each ravioli in a single layer on a baking sheet lightly dusted with flour.
6. When you are ready to cook the ravioli, add them to boiling water. Stir until the water returns to a boil. When the ravioli float on their own, about 3-5 minutes, they are finished cooking. Place each portion on individual plates. Drizzle with the brown butter and extra parmesan cheese.

For the Filling:
3/4 cup fresh ricotta cheese, drained 30 minutes
3/4 cup fresh goat cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
6 tablespoons unsalted butter (for sauce, see below)

Directions:
1. In a mixing bowl, combine chopped parsley, mint, ricotta, goat cheese, parmesan cheese and salt and pepper. Set aside.

For the Brown Butter:
6 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions:
1. Melt butter in a saute pan. Cook over medium heat until the butter becomes golden brown. Add lemon juice, remove from heat. Serve over pasta.

Serves 4.