Ham and 3-Cheese Pasta Roll

Ingredients
Tomato Sauce
1 16-oz. can Italian plum tomatoes, drained
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
2 cloves garlic, halved
2 tbls. minced fresh basil, or 2 tsp. dried
3 tbls. butter

Filling
2 tbls. butter
4 scallions, minced
2 oz. Smoked ham, cut into -inch dice (½ cup)
½ # cream cheese, softened
½ cup ricotta cheese
1 egg
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ tsp. black pepper
1 Recipe Spinach Pasta

Half pound smoked ham, cut in 1/6" slices

Directions
For tomato sauce, in a saucepan, simmer all the ingredients except the butter, uncovered, until reduced by one-third, 30-40 min. The sauce should be thick and strongly flavored. Put through strainer and press firmly to get all the sauce. Return to saucepan.

For filling, melt the butter in a frying pan. Add scallions and cook over low until soft, 1-2 min. Add diced ham and cook over med. 1-2 min. Set aside.

In bowl, beat together the cream cheese and ricotta until smooth. Add egg and beat well. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, ham mixture and pepper. Mix well and refrigerate.

Roll the pasta out into four 12"x4" sheets. Lay 2 pasta sheets side by side, lengthwise. Score 1 long edge with diagonal strokes using the dull side of a knife. Brush water over scoring. Lay the second sheet over the moistened edge to over lap by ½”. Press along the seam so that sheets adhere.

Remove the filling from refrigerator and spread half of mixture over assembled sheets of pasta, leaving a ½” uncovered border all the way around. Cover cheese mixture with a layer of half the sliced ham. Beginning at one of the short ends, roll up pasta, jelly-roll style. Do not roll too loosely or water may seep in as it poaches. Repeat the entire procedure with the remaining pasta, filling, and ham, making 2 completed rolls. Wrap each roll in a double thickness of cheesecloth and tie each end securely with string. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and add the pasta rolls. Reduce heat and simmer the rolls, turning them occasionally, for 25 min. Drain, cool slightly, and remove string and cheesecloth.

Warm the tomato sauce and swirl in the 3 tbls. butter. Cut each roll into ½” thick slices and arrange on plates. Pour a bed of tomato sauce onto each plate and top with the slices.