The Times Online, Kids In The Kitchen - May 2009

I remember in the 1970s falling for the Blue Peter April Fool's Day trick when they displayed what appeared to be tree upon tree in Italy with strands of spaghetti hanging from their branches. I had eaten pasta a great deal in my life but never did it cross my mind where it came from. And here was the answer - it grows on trees of course!

Pasta is a great place to start with your little ones in the kitchen. Most kids love pasta, most kids will eat any form of pasta so why not show them where it comes from and get your hands dirty?

That blend of flour and eggs can take a fair amount of abuse and it stays surprisingly robust, making it ideal for experimenting little hands. If you don't have a pasta machine to roll it in just use a good old rolling pin like they would in most homes in Italy.

We like to make ravioli and stuff it with various fillings, with that mainstay of ricotta cheese and spinach being my daughter's favourite. They can be fiddly but this isn't top end dining. They may look odd once your child has squashed the life out of them but once briefly boiled they taste amazing.

Spinach and Ricotta Ravioli with Lemon Butter
Feeds 3

Prep time - 30 minutes
Cook time - 2 minutes

For the pasta:
300g plain flour
3 whole eggs

For the filling:
200g spinach
100g ricotta cheese
50g Parmesan cheese
A few grates of nutmeg
Salt and pepper

For the butter:
25g butter
Zest and juice of 1 lemon

1 - If you have a food processor, put the flour and eggs in and blend. You can do the same in a large bowl. Knead for a minute then wrap in Clingfilm and chill for 30 minutes.
2 - While the pasta is chilling, wash the spinach then place in a saucepan. Heat up and stir until wilted. Allow to cool then squeeze out as much water as you can.
3 - Roughly chop then put in a bowl. Stir in the Ricotta, Parmesan, nutmeg and taste for seasoning.
4 - Take out the pasta dough and cut in half. If you have a pasta machine follow the instructions to make 2 sheets of pasta thin enough to see your hand through, usually to setting 3. If not, simply roll out onto a floured surface.
5 - Use a pasta cutter or a knife to cut out equal squares. Take teaspoons of the filling and place into the middle of each square. Seal the edge by dipping your finger in water then place on another square of pasta, squeezing out the air and sealing as best you can.
6 - Bring a pan of water to the boil. Carefully place the ravioli in and cook for 2 minutes.
7 - Melt a little butter in a pan, grate in the zest of a lemon and squeeze in the juice. Drain the pasta and serve with the lemon butter and some shavings of Parmesan cheese.