Homemade pyramid ravioli with lavender and basil

Although lavender is usually used in desserts, it works great in savoury dishes as well, such as in ravioli with lavender, basil and mozarella. Homemade ravioli are easy to make and this aromatic version with lavender is sure to make your meal more interesting.

Ingredients (for 6-8 portions):

Pasta dough:

500 g white all purpose flour

5 eggs

½ tablespoon olive oil

A pinch of salt

Filling:

500 g mozarella cheese

3 tablespoons dried culinary lavender flower buds

5 tablespoons dried basil

Prep time: 3 hours

Cooking time: 3-5 minutes

Instructions:

Measure 500 g of flour and heap it on a large smooth surface (a table or a plate). Make a hole in the flour heap and break an egg into the hole. Use a fork to scramble the egg and fully stir it into the flour with circular motions. Repeat with all remaining eggs, add salt and olive oil and knead by hand until the dough is smooth and yellow. Wrap the dough in foil and let it rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the filling: drain the mozarella and cut it into small cubes. Use a mortar or a small bowl to grind and mix together dried lavender and basil, then add them to the mozarella cubes and stir with a spoon until the herbs are evenly distributed on the cubes.

Take the dough out of the fridge and use a pasta maker machine or a rolling pin to roll the dough into multiple 3 mm thick strips. Put the mozarella cubes on the dough strips and cut the dough into squares around the cubes, about 1 cube length in all directions. Use your finger or a brush to slightly wet the edges of the dough squares and form the pyramid ravioli by bringing together opposing corners of the square two by two in the middle of the square. Press them together into a peak and use water to stick and seal the open edges, then press them to form a nice pyramid shape. Make sure that all the edges

are sealed and there are no holes in the dough.

Cook in salted boiling water for about 3 minutes or until the ravioli rise to the surface. You can also

freeze the ravioli for later. Serve with a simple cream sauce with a bit of garlic or nutmeg and enjoy!