Ricotta-Filled Tortelli with Fresh Asparagus and Saffron

Place saffron threads into small cup with 2 teaspoons of cold water. Allow to rest at least 2 hours. In medium-sized mixing bowl, blend Ricotta and Parmesan cheese, adjust to taste with salt, blend well. Add saffron threads and soaking liquid. If filling is too liquid and moist, add small additional amount of Parmesan as needed.

In medium bowl, blend semola with eggs, and knead dough until it reaches smooth, soft consistency that holds rounded shape when formed into ball.

Continue kneading dough with palm of your hand on floured working surface. Keep kneading until dough is soft, elastic, and compact.

Shape into ball, cover with plastic wrap to avoid drying out. Allow to rest at room temperature 15 minutes or more.

Unwrap and continue kneading. Shape dough into rectangle more or less width of pasta machine to be used. Begin to roll out dough using prepped pasta machine, dusting machine with semola to avoid sticking. Roll out through machine until you reach desired thickness, adjusting knobs to make dough thinner each time it goes through machine.

Dust working space well with semola. Place sheet of pasta on top of prepped work space, and using round pasta cutter, cut out individual shapes, utilizing all dough with minimal waste.

Gently brush small amount of water on top of each pasta shape with small pastry brush. Place small teaspoon of filling just off-center of each shape. Cover pasta by lifting up larger side of pasta and cover filling entirely with this side of the shape.  Using fingers, gently down around filling, removing as much air as possible. Press down firmly around borders of filling to seal, being sure all shapes are well-sealed. Join the two points of each sealed pasta shape to create tortello form.  Dust kitchen tray with semola flour, and top with completed tortelli shapes.

Remove white and tough parts of asparagus stalks, set aside. Using potato peeler, remove tough outer parts of stalk bottoms to remove parts too tough to eat.  Bring medium-sized soup pot of boiling salted water to boil. Add asparagus and allow to boil for approximately 1 minute. Drain, place immediately into cold water bath to stop cooking. Asparagus should be crispy and vividly green still. Slice into rounds, leaving tips whole.

Quarter cherry tomatoes, set aside. Coat bottom of medium-sized sautè pan and heat. When hot, add garlic clove and cook until golden brown. Add tomatoes and asparagus, allow flavors to blend a few moments. Adjust to taste with salt if needed.

Boil salted water in large soup pot. Add tortelli, cook 2-3 minutes. Drain well, add to pan with tomato. Combine pasta and sauce well. Place into

individual serving plates, garnish with Parmesan cheese and asparagus tips.