Springtime on a plate. That’s how we’d describe these fresh, flower-shaped ravioli. They’re a delight to look at, but it’s the filling that truly sings of spring. Inspired by the traditional Roman pairing of sweet, early-season peas and sharp pecorino romano, these ravioli are filled with a purée of peas, pecorino and fresh mint. Bathed in a simple lemon and garlic butter, it’s the perfect dish to herald the arrival of spring.
Flower-shaped pea and pecorino ravioli with lemon butter sauce
Serves 4
Prep time: 70 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Calories per serving: 710kcal (including sauce)
Ingredients
For the pasta:
- 400g 00 flour (plus more for your work surface)
- 4 eggs
Chef’s Tip: Pasta is always 1 egg and 100g flour per person – so it’s easy to scale up or down.
For the filling:
- 260g frozen peas
- 40g pecorino romano, grated
- Handful of fresh mint leaves (finely chopped if not using a blender)
- 1 tsp salt
For the sauce:
- 100g unsalted butter
- The zest of one unwaxed lemon, grated
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
- Salt & black pepper, to taste
Tools
- Fork
- Pasta machine or rolling pin
- Blender/food processor, for the pea filling (optional)
- Flower-shaped cookie cutter or ravioli stamp
Method
Step 1: Make the filling
- Blanch the peas in a pan of salted boiling water for about 1-2 minutes. Drain the peas, then submerge them in iced water.
- Once cooled, blend the peas, pecorino, mint, and salt until smooth. If you don’t have a blender or food processor, mash your ingredients with a fork to make a rough paste.
- Put your filling in a sealable plastic bag or piping bag. Set aside in the fridge until ready to fill the pasta.
Step 2: Make the pasta dough
Work through our written steps, or follow along with Chef Roberta in the video below.
- Place your flour onto a clean work surface. Using your hands, make a well in the centre and crack the eggs into it. Beat the eggs with a fork until smooth.
- Using your fork, begin to incorporate the eggs with the flour until everything is roughly combined.
- Start to knead the dough together with your hands. It will look a little scrappy at the start but don’t let this put you off; your dough should come together into a nice, smooth ball after about 5 minutes of kneading.
- Once the ball feels silky smooth, lightly push your finger into it. If the dough springs back, this means that the gluten has fully developed and it is ready to rest.
- Wrap the dough in cling film and leave it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. After the dough has rested, it is ready to be rolled with either a pasta machine or rolling pin.
Step 3: Roll the pasta dough
Using a pasta machine:
- Dust your work surface with a sprinkling of plain white flour.
- Cut your dough into 4 equal parts and loosely form one section into a ball (make sure you cover the rest of the dough with cling film, or it will dry out).
- Set the pasta machine to the widest setting (setting 0) and roll the ball of pasta dough through it.
- Click the machine down to the next thinnest setting (setting 1) and continue to roll the pasta through each setting until it is translucent (usually setting 6).
Using a rolling pin:
Rolling by hand follows much the same process as the machine, albeit with a little more elbow grease, or olio di gomito, as the Italians say.
- Cut your dough into 4 equal parts and loosely form one section into a ball (remember to cover the rest of the dough with cling film).
- Lightly flour your rolling pin and begin rolling the dough as you would with a pastry crust, starting in the centre and rolling away from you to the outer edge.
- Turn the dough slightly and repeat, working your way around, until the sheet of dough is about the thickness of a 2p coin.
Step 4: Fill and shape the ravioli
- Cut your sheet of pasta in half and lay both strips next to each other. Very slightly wet the edges of your strip of pasta with a pastry brush or by hand.
- Using the piping bag, carefully squeeze the filling in a line down the centre of one of the strips about 2 inches (5cm) apart.
- Place the other strip directly on top. Gently press on the dough around the filling to eliminate any excess air, then lightly moisten the dough with your hands and press firmly.
- Use your flower-shaped cookie cutter or pasta stamp to cut out each individual ravioli, making sure you keep the filling in the centre. Remember to check that the edges of the ravioli are fully sealed; if you’re unsure, you can crimp them with a fork.
- Repeat the process until you have used up all of the pasta dough.
Step 5: Cook the ravioli and make your butter sauce
- Bring a large pan of generously salted water to the boil.
- Carefully place your homemade ravioli into the pan and cook for 3 minutes (they’re ready when they rise to the surface).
- While the ravioli are cooking, add the butter to a large frying pan over a medium heat.
- Once the butter has melted, add your crushed garlic to the pan and cook for one minute.
- Next, add your lemon zest and season with salt and black pepper.
- Once your ravioli are cooked, transfer them to the pan and toss to coat in the sauce.
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