“This cheat’s ravioli, filled with a vibrant beetroot and ricotta
filling, is an easy way to impress at home. The addition of crunchy poppy seeds
adds texture to a classic sage burnt butter.”
In his retirement, my dad took an allotment. These days
allotments, or community gardens, and the grow-your-own trend are gaining
popularity, particularly for urbanites longing for a small amount of space to
experience the pleasure of home grown produce. The amount of produce that came
from Dad’s garden was astounding; potatoes, parsnips, turnips, swedes and
Brussels sprouts in winter, and zucchini, peas, sweet raspberries and
blackcurrants during summer. These days, vegetables are no longer just for the
chorus, taking centre stage in restaurant menus thanks to the efforts of chefs
including Nigel Slater and Yotam Ottolenghi in the UK, Dan Hunter at Brae in
regional Victoria and South Australia’s Simon Bryant. Thanks to this movement,
we’re more aware of seasonality and more willing to experiment with different
varieties at home. Right now, I’m enjoying cooking with winter’s harvest of
root vegetables, fromsweet ruby beetroot and heirloom carrots to creamy-fleshed
pumpkins and gnarly celeriac, even in desserts.
Beetroot ravioli with sage & poppyseed burnt butter
Beetroot ravioli
with sage & poppyseed burnt butter
Serves 4–6
·
8 small cooked beetroots
·
2 large pontiac or desiree potatoes, chopped
·
1 cup (240g) ricotta
·
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
·
1/2 cup (40g) grated parmesan, plus extra to serve
·
1 pack wonton wrappers
·
125g unsalted butter
·
20 fresh sage leaves
·
1 tbs poppy seeds
Pat the beetroot dry with paper towel, then puree in a food
processor. Set aside. Cook the potato in a saucepan of boiling salted water for
8-10 minutes until tender, then drain, mash and cool slightly. Combine with the
beetroot, ricotta, garlic and parmesan. Season well, then set aside.
Lay half the wonton wrappers on a workbench and place heaped
teaspoonfuls of the beetroot filling in the centre of each. Brush around the
edges with cold water and cover with remaining wrappers, pressing the edges to
seal and remove any air. Transfer to a tray and place in the fridge until ready
to serve.
Melt the butter in a frypan over medium heat, add the sage
and poppy seeds, and cook until the butter is brown and sage is crisp.
Cook ravioli, in batches, in a large saucepan of boiling
salted water for 3 minutes or until they float to the surface, then remove with
a slotted spoon. Toss in the butter and serve with extra parmesan.
