Filled pasta cooking class and Mushroom and goat’s cheese tortellini

I like filled pastas such as ravioli, tortellini and angolotti but I don’t like buying the pre-made versions of these as I have no control over what has gone into the filling, and I often find they are too salty for me. So I was really looking to going a class at Matters of Taste to learn how to make these types of pastas.

This was another technical class where we learnt how to make the pasta and the three different filled shapes, and we each got try making each of these shapes. I was a bit nervous about trying the tortellini but found it easier than expected. As a group, we also made three different fillings and sauces (with each group of three responsible for one sauce and filling). I had a lot of fun and left filled with confidence about trying these at home.

The next night, I decided to make the mushroom and goat’s cheese tortellini that I had recently seen on Masterchef – The Professionals. I used the pasta recipe that I learnt at Matters of Taste rather than the one from the Masterchef recipe, as I am now familiar with that recipe. However, as that isn’t my recipe to share (having received it at a class) I have included the Masterchef recipe for pasta below (the only real difference was my recipe used three whole eggs only and slightly more flour).

Making pasta at home by yourself is quite time consuming and is definitely not for every night. I found this filling a bit difficult to use as it didn’t hold together well, but that may be because I added the goat’s cheese at the end as I’d seen on TV rather than mixing it through as the recipe stated. I was still happy with the results and loved the creamy goat’s cheese with the earthy mushrooms and silky soft pasta. I’m not a huge fan of the brown butter sauce however, so next time I think I’ll try a different sauce.

Mushroom and goat’s cheese tortellini with sage beurre noisette

Serves 4 as an entree or two as a main

Ingredients

Pasta

• 250g pasta flour (in classes we just used the plain flour, however at home I have used pasta flour)
• 1 egg and 4 egg yolks
• A pinch of salt
• 10ml extra virgin olive oil
• Fine semolina flour for rolling and dusting
• 10ml of water (only if needed)

Filling

• 20g butter (I use unsalted so I can control the amount of salt)
• 300g finely chopped button (or swiss brown) mushrooms
• 50g goat’s cheese – crumbled

Sauce

• 100g butter (again, I used unsalted and added salt to my taste)
• One lemon – juiced
• ¼ bunch sage leaves – I used about 10-12

To serve

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 250g mushrooms (I used a mix of mushrooms, use whichever you prefer) – sliced
• 50g rocket leaves
• 50g grams toasted pine nuts
• 100g parmesan cheese, thinly shaved

Method

1. You can make the pasta dough by hand, however I find it easier when cooking by myself to make it in my stand mixer with the dough hook, and just knead by hand occasionally to help it along and check the feel of it.
2. Place all the pasta ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer (except for the extra water) with the dough hook attachment. Combine on a low-medium speed until the dough starts to form. I find I need to mix it a bit by hand to get the dough to come together. If too dry, add a little more oil or some water, or wet your hands and mix by hand for a minute. You can also do this in the food processor, as per the original Masterchef recipe or by hand on the bench by making a well in the centre of the flour, adding the wet ingredients and gradually combining it with the dry with a fork before combining by hand with the help of a pastry scraper.
3. Kneed the pasta dough for around 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Roll into a ball, cover with cling film and leave to rest for at least 30 minutes at room temperature.
4. Meanwhile, make the filling by melting the butter in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the mushrooms and salt and pepper and cook for around 10 minutes or until all the moisture has evaporated. Transfer the mushrooms to a bowl and add the goat’s cheese and mix well to combine (I didn’t do this, adding the goat’s cheese just before rolling – however I will next time). Refrigerate until cool.
5. To make the pasta, divide the dough into three to four pieces and keep the remaining dough in cling film while you are not using it, otherwise it will dry out. Using a pasta machine (or the pasta attachment on a stand mixer), roll the pasta starting at the widest setting. Roll it another two to three times on this setting, folding a third of the length in, and then the other end over the first fold in between each roll (known as laminating). Then continue to roll it out, at thinner settings each time, until the dough is thin enough to see your hand through. Make sure to dust the pasta with semolina flour each time before you roll it so it doesn’t stick to the machine.
6. Dust your workbench with semolina flour and place the sheet of rolled dough onto the surface. Cut out circles with a 8 to 10cm round cutter. Place between 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon (depending on the size you use) of the mixture in the middle of the round. Brush one half of the edge with water, fold over into a semi-circle, pressing any air out from the inside out and pressing to seal. Then, press the middle of the flat side in slightly with your fingers and bring the two ends together to meet to make the classic tortellini shape. Pinch the ends together so they seal.  Continue with the remaining dough and filling. Place on a tray dusted with semolina flour and allow to dry out slightly.
7. To make the sauce, melt the butter in a small saucepan over a medium-low heat. Cook until it is a golden brown colour. Remove from the heat and add the lemon juice, sage leaves and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside until needed.
8. To serve, heat the oil in a fry plan over a medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until golden, then add the rocked and cook until wilted.
9. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until al dente. Depending on the size and thickness of the pasta, this could take between 3-5 minutes.
10. To serve, divide the rocket and mushroom mix between the serving plates. Top with the tortellini, pour over the sauce and add some pine nuts and shaved parmesan.

Recipe adapted from  Masterchef The Professionals – Mushroom and goat’s cheese tortellini, pine nut and sage beurre noisette