Food52
This dish is the ultimate celebration of Parmigiano Reggiano and one that I wish I had simmering on the stove every winter weekend. It all starts with the broth, infused with the intense flavor of the cheese rinds that can, if you wish, stand on its own. But layer it with a hint of sweetness from roasted squash, a dusting of warm nutmeg, and a dash of cream and you have yourself a seasonal staple. To make this a meal, I’ve paired the soup with one of my favorite under-the-radar pastas: sfoglia lorda (or spoja lorda), meaning “dirty pasta.” I first came across these bite-sized ravioli through Pasta Grannies, and they’ve since become a go-to in my house, both because of their robust Parmigiano flavor and because they’re shockingly easy to make. Like the cheese they’re filled with, sfoglia lorda come from Emilia-Romagna and were born out of a desire to use leftover cappelletti filling. Instead of wasting what remained, a very thin layer of the mixture was sandwiched between pasta sheets and cut into small rectangles. Sfoglia lorda are traditionally served in meat stock, but I find they make a wonderful addition to any soup. A FEW NOTES: I always like to have some Parmigiano Reggiano broth on hand, so don’t hesitate to double the recipe. The broth can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for three to five days, or in the freezer for several months. Sfoglia lorda are typically filled with a soft cheese like campagnolo, stracchino, raviggiolo or casatella, which are difficult to find stateside. Here, I’ve substituted mild goat cheese, since it has the thick, spreadable texture that’s ideal for this pasta. If you’re not a goat cheese fan, switch it out for more (very firm) ricotta. To make sure the pasta doesn’t leak, it’s important to remove any excess moisture from the filling. If your ricotta is watery, drain it for 15 to 20 minutes in cheesecloth before using, or pat it dry between some paper towels. This is also why the egg is essential: even if the filling starts to peek through the cut ravioli, the egg will hold it together during the cooking process. If there’s one piece of special equipment worth using here, it’s a fluted pasta cutter. This tool is designed to seal and cut the pasta at the same time, which helps prevent the sfoglia lorda from leaking. If you don’t have one but you’re keen to give the recipe a try, dot little pockets of filling across one of the pasta sheets and leave small gaps of dough in between. Then, once you’ve layered the other pasta sheet on top, prick the pockets with a fork to let the air escape, cut along the dough gaps with a knife, and seal the pieces manually.
