Mezzelune are a daintily crafted pasta shape, which, much like ravioli, encase the most delicious of fillings. The word mezzelune has its roots in the Italian for ‘half moons’; a fitting description for this eponymously named pasta. With a filling of ricotta and cavolo nero, our mezzelune are not only aesthetically pleasing but also serve as the perfect entrée. Take yourself on a voyage to the Amalfi coast: deftly tossed in a light lemon butter, this dish is the epitome of pure Italian escapism.
Serves: 3
Prep time: 1h 30
Calories per serving: 636 kcal
Ingredients
Pasta
- 1 fresh batch of mezzelune pasta dough
Filling
- 90g Parmigiano Reggiano
- 180g ricotta cheese
- A small bunch of cavolo nero
- ¼ tsp of ground nutmeg
- A pinch of salt
- A pinch of freshly cracked black pepper
Sauce
- 50g salted butter
- ½ a lemon, juiced
- Grated Parmigiano reggiano to serve
- Lemon zest to serve
Utensils
- Rolling pin or pasta machine
- Cookie-cutter
Method
- Follow the method to make a batch of our simple, fresh mezzelune pasta, stopping after step 4, once you have cut out the mezzelune shapes. Cover your fresh pasta rounds with a slightly damp tea towel to prevent them from drying out while you prepare the ricotta and cavolo nero filling.
- Bring a large pan of water to the boil, making sure to add a generous sprinkling of salt when it begins to bubble.
- While the water is heating, remove the stems from the cavolo nero and discard them (or save the scraps for later to make vegetable stock). Chop the leaves and place them in the water. Cover with a lid, cook for 5 minutes and then remove from the heat to cool.
- Once cool, use a tea towel to squeeze any excess water out of the cavolo nero. Chop the leaves finely. Add this to a bowl along with the ricotta, Parmigiano reggiano, nutmeg, black pepper, and a pinch of salt. Mix together and set to the side.
- Unveil your pre-prepared pasta rounds. Lay each round flat on a countertop and place about a tablespoon of the ricotta filling in the centre of each. With your finger, dampen the outer edge with a little bit of water and fold over to create a half-moon shape. (Be careful not to use too much water to seal as this will make your dough soggy and stick to the counter.) Press to seal. Continue filling until all of the dough or filling is used up.
- Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add your mezzelune and cook for about 3 minutes, or until al dente.
- While your mezzelune are cooking, make the sauce. Heat a saucepan over medium heat and add the butter, along with the lemon juice. Cook this long enough until it begins to take on a deep brown colour. At this point, take off the heat, add the pasta, and toss thoroughly to ensure that it is evenly coated.
- Top with extra Parmigiano Reggiano and lemon zest. Plate up and enjoy. Buon appetito!
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