There is nothing like the start of spring. Celebrate the fresh produce of the season with a bright ravioli recipe that wraps sweet spring peas in fresh pasta dressed in a refreshing lemon-butter sauce. Pair it with a fresh Italian rosé for a perfect meal for primavera.
Ingredients for 4 people
For the ravioli
- 1 recipe Basic Egg Pasta Dough
- 2 cups ricotta, drained overnight
- 1 bunch mint, picked
- 2 cups shelled English peas
- ½ cup Grana Padano, grated
For the sauce
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Grated zest of 1 lemon
- Salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
How to make Ravioli ai Piselli
Prepare the filling
- Set a colander lined with cheesecloth over a bowl and add the ricotta. Place something heavy on top to drain the excess liquid overnight.
- Blanch the peas and the mint. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season it heavily with salt. Have a bowl of ice water nearby. Drop the peas in the boiling water until bright green, about 2-3 minutes, then move them to the ice water. Do the same with the mint, squeezing out any excess liquid until the leaves are dry.
- Place the peas and mint in a food processor and blend until creamy. Fold the pea mixture into the drained ricotta, add the Grana Padano, season with salt and pepper and stir until thoroughly blended.
Prepare the ravioli
- Trim the ends of the pasta dough and cut the sheets crosswise into 2 pieces, one 1 ½ inches longer than the other. Put a rounded teaspoon of the pea mixture in 2 rows on the shorter piece, about 1 inch from the edges and with the centers about 1 ½ inches apart. Brush the dough around the filling with water. Place the longer piece on top, pressing gently around the mounds to close the ravioli. With a fluted pastry wheel or knife, cut the dough between the mounds. Arrange the ravioli in a single layer on a baking sheet sprinkled with flour and let them dry for 1 hour.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (think: salty as the sea). Add the ravioli and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until just tender. Drain in a colander and transfer to a large bowl.
- In a small saucepan, slowly melt the butter over low-medium heat and add the grated lemon zest. Once the butter is melted and slightly bubbling, add the drained ravioli and gently toss to coat. Serve hot.
