Spring Is Officially Here Ravioli
You know that calm before the storm? This is what it looks like to me:
It’s that moment when I know I’m about to enter a world of “Oh my god, I’ve been doing this for 5 hours, why am I not done?” At this point in our relationship, I think John has learned to leave the house quickly and quietly when he sees me dragging the pasta machine out of the pantry. Because, inevitably, I will be moaning and groaning until he is guilted into helping. But sometimes a girl just wants some homemade pasta. It’s spring and I’ve got fresh asparagus and english peas that want some lovin…Italian lovin. I’ve been watching the pasta dude at work, I think I’ve got a few more tricks up my sleeve. I can DO this.
Peas are awesome. Simply awesome. I understand how if you were to grow up eating English peas out of a can, you might think they are all kinds of icky. But I didn’t. I grew up with fresh southern peas from the pea patch in the woods behind our backyard. While we didn’t grow English peas (we’ve got all kinds of crazy peas in the south), my love of peas does not discriminate. So I’m gonna celebrate these little guys, because they only come out to play for a few months every year.
This time, John made the mistake of coming home too early. So I snagged him for some help. Turns out he just keeps getting better and better with the pasta machine. He cranks out much nicer pasta sheets than me! So maybe it was meant to be.
I prepared a filling of peas & asparagus that I boiled in vegetable stock, homemade ricotta, parmesan, lemon zest, bread crumbs and chili flakes. I pureed them into a nice fluffy cream that I piped onto John’s beautiful pasta.
Then I layered on the top sheet.
And stamped out little circles for my raviolis!
Since they were so fresh, the raviolis only took a minute or 2 to cook.
I served the raviolis in a vegetable broth that I had simmered with the asparagus & peas that went into the filling, and some parmesan rinds I had been saving (I KNEW they would come in handy some day!). I threw in some fresh peas, the asparagus tops and shaved some parmesan to finish.
It was pretty decadent. I kept thinking, “Wow, I can’t believe I actually made that”. Most definitely worth the effort.
I made that! 
Wow, if only I had a pasta maker! I love fresh ravioli and peas are definitely one of my favorite things about spring 🙂
i hope i get invited over soon, seeing these beautiful creations is torture.
brandi – i will happily come over and assist youanytime john disappears! i don’t have a job, and i want to be a better cook!!!
a feast! it’s like i’m with you in the kitchen everytime…except i can only ogle behind my pixel screen (sucks enough that i’m in another country). =( thank u for sharing.
[…] and I was just feeling it, you know? I’m more confident of my pasta making after my excellent raviolis, so I’m ready to add flavored pastas to my repertoire. Since right now everything in my […]
[…] and I was just feeling it, you know? I’m more confident of my pasta making after my excellent raviolis, so I’m ready to add flavored pastas to my repertoire. Since right now everything in my […]
Oh wow, this is beautiful! Congrats!
[…] To be honest, I had made myself do it. Why? Because as far as I am concerned it is Spring. And every year, I love to welcome my absolutely favorite cooking season with a delicious dinner. It’s […]
[…] canned air). The truth is, I try to work in fresh ricotta whenever possible: gnocchi, galettes, pasta, cakes, fritters, we’re even serving a ricotta and blood orange dessert at Delancey right […]
Soooooo thanks to all your recipes about peas, I bought a half kilo at the market in my french town yesterday. I just shelled them, and my giant bag has been reduced to two handfulls of peas, but I am so excited to eat them!
Wow so fun/creepy to be looking through past March postings on your blog (cuz it’s March now…and that’s a reason), decide to post on this one, and then see my own comment at the bottom of the comments list, from 4 years ago. I was just thinking about how much life changes and, and how I miss your blog. I think I like it so much because you are so enthusiastic in such a casual way. You make it sound so effortless, and yet your pictures of perfectly squirted pea-filling betray your inner perfectionist which must be the key behind your love and success with food. Anyway, I hope things are going well. Best wishes!