Spring Pea and Ricotta Ravioli with Fava Beans

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Spring Pea and Ricotta Ravioli with Fava Beans

Course:

Pasta, Dinner, Main Dish

Cuisine:

American

Ravioli:

1. Bring a medium pot of well-salted water to boil and set up a bowl of well-salted ice water. Drop the peas in the boiling water, let the water return to a boil, and cook the peas for 2 more minutes. Scoop the peas out of the water and plunge them immediately into the ice water. When the peas are cool, remove them from the ice water and reserve. Repeat this process with the fava beans. When the favas are cool, peel off the tough outer layer and reserve the beans.
2. In a food processor, pulse the peas to make a coarse paste. In a large bowl, combine the pea paste, ricotta, Parmigiano, and eggs; mix well, season with salt, and taste to make sure it’s delicious.
3. To assemble the ravioli, dust a clean work surface lightly with flour and lay out sheets of pasta about 12 inches long; use a pastry brush to brush the bottom half of the pasta sheets lightly with water. Fill a disposable pastry bag (or a zip-top bag with one corner cut out) with the pea mixture and pipe 1-inch balls of filling onto the pasta about 1½ inches apart. Fold the top half of the pasta sheet over the filling so the top edge meets the bottom edge. Use your index fingers to press around the filling and seal the edges shut. Use a fluted ring cutter or fluted pasta roller to cut out the ravioli; put them on a baking sheet dusted with semolina.
4. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil.
5. Bring a large saucepan to medium heat and add the butter and 1 cup of the chicken stock; season with salt. When the butter has melted, add the fava beans.
6. Add the ravioli to the boiling water and cook for 4 to 5 minutes; scoop out the ravioli and add them to the sauce. Cook the ravioli in the sauce for a couple of minutes, shaking the pan frequently, until the sauce begins to thicken and cling to the pasta. If the sauce seems too thick, add a bit more stock. Put five ravioli on each serving plate, spoon a little extra sauce and some fava beans over each, and sprinkle with Parm to serve.

Pasta Dough:

1. Mound the flour on a clean dry work surface. Make a hole (this is also called a well) in the center of the flour pile that is about 8 inches wide (bigger is definitely better here). Crack all of the eggs and the yolk into the hole and the olive oil, salt and water.
2. Using a fork beat the eggs together with the olive oil, water and salt. Using the fork, begin to incorporate the flour into the egg mixture; be careful not to break the sides of the well or the egg mixture will run all over your board and you will have a big mess! Also, don’t worry about the lumps. When enough flour has been incorporated into the egg mixture that it will not run all over the place when the sides of the well are broken, begin to use your hands to really get everything well combined. If the mixture is tight and dry, wet your hands and begin kneading with wet hands. When the mixture has really come together to a homogeneous mixture, THEN you can start kneading.
3. When kneading it is VERY important to put your body weight into it, get on top of the dough to really stretch it and not to tear the dough. Using the heels of your palms, roll the dough to create a very smooth, supple dough. When done the dough should love VERY smooth and feel almost velvety. Kneading will usually take from 8 to 10 minutes for an experienced kneader and 10 to 15 for an inexperienced kneader. Put your body weight into it, you need to knead! This is where the perfect, toothsome texture of your pasta is formed. Get in there and have fun!
4. When the pasta has been kneaded to the perfect consistency, wrap it in plastic and let rest for at least 1 hour. If using immediately do not refrigerate.
5. Roll and cut the pasta into desired shape.