Mint Ravioli Stuffed with Goat Cheese

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Servings:
6
Yield:
30

This pasta is well worth making from scratch, its tiny flecks of green delivering bursts of flavor that contrast sharply with its creamy goat cheese filling and tart lemon-zest garnish.

Ingredients

For the Pasta

  • 2 cups fresh mint

  • 3 large eggs

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dough

  • ½ teaspoon coarse salt

  • 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

  • 3 tablespoons warm water

For the Filling

  • 2 cups ricotta cheese, drained (16 ounces)

  • 1 cup crumbled goat cheese (8 ounces)

  • ¼ teaspoon coarse salt

  • Freshly ground pepper, to taste

For Serving

  • 2 ounces (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter

  • Finely grated lemon zest, for garnish

  • Fresh mint sprigs, for garnish

Directions

  1. Make the pasta: Prepare an ice-water bath. Cook mint in a small saucepan of boiling water until bright green, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer mint to ice-water bath. When cool, drain, and squeeze out excess water.

  2. Transfer mint to a food processor. Add eggs, and process until mint is finely chopped. Combine flour and salt on a work surface; make a well in the center. Add the egg mixture, oil, and water to the well. Using a fork, lightly beat wet ingredients. While beating, draw in the flour mixture, a little at a time, until fully incorporated. (Dough will be shaggy.)

  3. Knead dough by hand or in a mixer fitted with a dough hook until very smooth and supple, 10 to 15 minutes by hand, 8 to 10 minutes with a mixer. Wrap in plastic, and let stand for 1 hour.

  4. Meanwhile, make the filling: Beat ricotta, goat cheese, salt, and pepper with a mixer on medium speed until well combined and smooth, about 2 minutes.

  5. Divide dough into 4 portions. Feed 1 piece of dough (keep remaining pieces covered with plastic) through a pasta machine's widest setting (#1) twice. Continue to feed through ever-finer settings, 2 passes on each setting, ending on setting #6. (The sheet will be very thin.) If dough is sticking, dust very lightly with flour. Cover dough sheet with plastic. Repeat with remaining dough.

  6. Using a round cutter, cut pasta sheets into 3 1/2-inch circles. Spoon 1 generous tablespoon of the filling in the center of 1 round. Wet edges of pasta with a finger dipped in water. Top with another pasta round; press edges tightly to seal. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.

  7. To serve: Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add 1/2 of the ravioli, and cook until they float, 1 to 2 minutes. Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. With a slotted spoon, transfer ravioli, along with 1 to 2 teaspoons cooking liquid, to the skillet. Cook, turning occasionally, until just glazed, about 2 minutes. Transfer to serving plates. Repeat with remaining ravioli and butter.

  8. Garnish with lemon zest and mint, and serve immediately.

Cook's Notes

Petit Billy chevre, which has a rounded flavor, is ideal for the filling, but any mild goat cheese will work.

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