Ravioli Of Smashed Fava Beans Mint And Ricotta Food

RAVIOLI STUFFED WITH FAVA BEANS, RICOTTA, AND MINT WITH BROWN-BUTTER SAUCE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add beans. Cook until tender, 6 to 7 minutes. Transfer to an ice-water bath; let cool 1 minute. Drain; squeeze beans from skins. Transfer 2 cups of the beans to a food processor. Add cheeses, mint, lemon juice, and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Process until smooth. Refrigerate filling at least 1 hour (up to 2 days).
• Divide dough into 4 pieces. Dust 1 piece of dough with flour (cover remaining pieces with plastic wrap). Set the rollers of a pasta maker to the widest setting; roll dough through. Fold dough into thirds; pass through again, narrow side first. Repeat until smooth, 3 or 4 more times. Run dough through progressively narrower settings, using additional flour as needed, until very thin (at least 5 inches wide). Cut sheet crosswise into manageable pieces.
• Dust 2 rimmed baking sheets with cornmeal; set aside. Place 1 piece of pasta sheet on a lightly floured work surface (keep unused pieces covered). Space heaping tablespoons of filling 3 inches apart on lower half of sheet.
• Using a wet pastry brush, moisten pasta around each mound of filling. Fold top half of sheet over filling to meet edge; press around mounds to eliminate air and to seal.
• Cut pasta into 2 1/2- to 3-inch squares using a pizza wheel. Brush away excess flour. Place ravioli on cornmeal-dusted baking sheets. Roll out remaining pasta dough, and repeat. (If serving that day, cover ravioli with plastic wrap, and refrigerate on baking sheets until ready to use. If making ahead, freeze on baking sheets until firm, about 1 hour, and then transfer to an airtight container; freeze until ready to use, up to 1 month.)
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add salt. Add half the ravioli; gently stir once. Cook at a gentle boil until ravioli are just tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a colander using a slotted spoon; drain. Cover to keep warm. Repeat with remaining ravioli.
• Meanwhile, melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Reduce heat to low; cook butter until lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Add half the ravioli to skillet; toss to coat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer ravioli to a platter; cover to keep warm. Repeat with remaining ravioli.
• Cook remaining 4 tablespoons butter until lightly browned as above. Add reserved cup beans; cook over low heat until warm, about 20 seconds. Transfer ravioli to serving plates. Spoon beans and butter over ravioli. Sprinkle with cheese; season with salt and pepper.

RICOTTA, PECORINO AND PARMESAN RAVIOLI

Steps:

• Make the pasta by plonking the eggs and flour in a food processor, turning it on and within 30 seconds it should look like chewy-looking bread crumbs. These will start to come together into larger balls of dough. Take the dough out and work by hand for 2 minutes or until smooth, silky and elastic. Wrap in plastic and allow to rest in the refrigerator.
• Prepare the filling by mixing everything except the whole marjoram leaves together, checking the seasoning.
• Cut off pieces of the pasta and roll out on a lightly floured clean work surface to about 1mm thick, then cut into pieces about 14 by 14cm (6 by 6 inches). Place a good heaped teaspoon of filling on 1 side, then using a clean pastry brush and some water, lightly but evenly brush the pasta. Pinch 1 side of the pasta over the filling so it forms a parcel, then with your thumb or the base of your palm gently pat the pasta down all around the filling. (The most important thing about ravioli is it must be sealed completely, so if there are any rips, chuck them out.) Trim and cut the ravioli into shape with a knife or crinkly cutter.
• Cook the ravioli in salted, gently boiling water for 3 to 4 minutes.
• Meanwhile, fry the marjoram leaves and sage leaves in the olive oil until crispy, then drain on kitchen paper.
• Put the cooked ravioli in a warmed small frying pan, add a little of the cooking water and another tablespoon of the grated pecorino, and toss. To serve, spoon the ravioli into a dish, sprinkle some of the crispy herbs on top, and add another grating of Parmesan and some freshly ground black pepper to finish.

FRESH RICOTTA AND FAVA BEAN BRUSCHETTA

Steps:

• Cook fava beans or lima beans in medium saucepan of boiling salted water until just tender, about 1 1/2 minutes for fava beans or about 4 minutes for lima beans. Drain. Rinse under cold water; drain well. Peel fava beans if using; set aside. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Arrange bread pieces on baking sheet; toast in oven until light golden, about 12 minutes. Rub 1 side of each bread piece with cut side of 1 garlic half, pressing firmly to release juices into bread. Top each bread piece with 1 heaping tablespoon ricotta cheese, then fava beans, dividing equally. Place 2 bread pieces on each of 8 plates. Drizzle lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Garnish with sliced basil and serve.