These are three of my favorite ingredients, all mixed together, and the time it takes to make fresh ravioli is totally worth it. I like to make the ravioli on a lazy afternoon and then freeze them so I can rustle them up whenever I’m yearning for cheese stuffed pasta (which is every minute of every day, but whatever). The light pea pesto is my new favorite sauce and it’s lovely with the delicate and sweet burrata. Enjoy!
Serves 2-3
Recipe for fresh pasta dough at bottom of post.
INGREDIENTS (FILLING)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 egg yolk
4 ounce burrata, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
INGREDIENTS (PEA PESTO)
1/2 cup peas
1 garlic clove
2 tablespoons parm, chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
INGREDIENTS (TO FINISH)
1/2 cup peas, cooked
1/4 pound prosciutto, finely sliced
DIRECTIONS
First, roll out the pasta. This is a little time consuming, but it gets quicker each time you do it.
Cut off (never tear dough) a quarter section of the dough and roll it into a 3/8 inch thick strip and coat lightly in flour if the dough feels sticky. Set your pasta roller on level 1, and carefully feed the dough through. Fold the dough, and do again. If it ribbons form (meaning, there’s a ruffle in the middle of the dough) add a little more flour. On the first setting, I usually roll the dough through once, then fold and roll the dough twice, then roll it through one final time. On the next layers (I do 1, 2, 4, and 6 on my roller) I roll it through once, fold and roll once, and then roll it through a final time. Eight is the highest setting and excellent for delicate pasta dishes, such as ravioli or agnolotti, but for my fettuccine I wanted there to be something to chew on so I went with 6.
Repeat this process until all of the pasta has been rolled.
If you are not planning on stuffing your pasta right away, flour the pasta and cover the dough in wax paper. Seriously, do this. I didn’t flour and chose plastic wrap instead and had to pick off dough with my fingernails and start over completely. It was one of those bizarre moments when cooking almost made me cry.
To make the filling, mix all of the ingredients together with a spoon until fully integrated.
Using a ravioli mold (or going by hand), add a couple of teaspoons of the filling mixture. Brush the surrounding edges of pasta with water, and lay over the other layer. Press together firmly, then cut. Let the ravioli rest in the fridge for about 30 minutes so the pasta sets.
Meanwhile, make your pea pesto. Cook the peas in salted boiling water for about 2-3 minutes, or until bright green and cooked through. Dunk in an ice bath to halt the cooking process. Drain the peas and combine with the garlic and parm in a food processor. Pulse and drizzle in the olive oil until loose and sauce-y. Pour the pesto into a small pot and just before cooking the pasta, bring to a simmer.
Bring a large pot of salted water up to a boil and add the ravioli, cooking for 3 minutes, or until they bob to the surface. Drain the ravioli, add to a plate, and drizzle with warm pesto. Finish with slices of prosciutto and whole peas.
INGREDIENTS (FRESH PASTA DOUGH)
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 large fresh eggs
3 large fresh egg yolks
A Kitchen Aid Mixer, with a pasta roller and cutter attachments
DIRECTIONS
Attach the dough hook to your mixer (you must use a dough hook, as paddle attachments don’t actually knead the dough). Pour the flour into the mixer’s bowl, and form a slight well. Add the eggs into the well, and start the mixer on the lowest speed. If the yolks aren’t breaking, feel free to break them yourself with a fork. Blend for about 3 minutes on low speed, until the mixture has formed a ball on the hook. If it hasn’t, and is instead sticking to the sides of the mixing bowl or crawling up past the hook, add some flour and give it a few more rotations.
Put the dough onto a floured surface and knead for about 2 minutes, or until the dough is firm yet elastic.
The easiest method for kneading is pushing the dough forward, folding it once, turning it 90 degrees, and repeating. This is binding and developing the gluten in the flour, to ensure elastic silky pasta dough. When you have reached your desired results cover the ball in plastic wrap and let it rest for 20 minutes.
