Pea and Ricotta Anolini with Mushrooms and Alfredo
I went to the grocery store last night to pick up some vitals - flour, butter, eggs, and several bottles of wine. Despite living with chronic anxiety, I have been relatively level headed through this whole thing. I’m not as calm, cool, and collected as usual but I’m also not a puddle on the floor or hoarding toilet paper. Still, I can feel our collective unease wherever I look. There is a sensation of something bubbling just below the surface. It’s in the eyes of the cashiers, the rushed pace of people at the grocery store, and all over social media. We’re all scared.
I am not afraid of catching COVID-19. I am young, relatively healthy, and should recover without complications should I contact the virus. Sadly, I’ve been avoiding the older people in my life to prevent spreading the virus to them, should I happen to contact it. What is really scary to me however is the mass hysteria that has swept so many people up. The strangers stocking up on pasta, beans, and toilet paper. The people who are going out and buying guns and body armor. Some seem to think we are on the brink of societal collapse and I can say is, only if you behave that way. It is unnerving to see the worst in society come out in a time like this. Hoarding will not solve this problem. Neither will shaming those people who are scared. The only way to get through this is to keep marching forward, together.
To soothe my soul and avoid the chaos, I turned to the activities that keep me calm. I’ve been cooking more than usual, playing the piano, drawing, and started learning a cello-piano duet with Anthony. I’ve begun to wrestle with the reality that the pasta workshop I’ve been planning all winter will likely be canceled and as much as it breaks my heart, I know it will be for the best.
I don’t know when COVID-19 will pass and I don’t know what we will learn from this experience if anything. What I hope we learn though, is that in times of great turmoil and strife, we have the capacity to care for each other and not retreat into the fearful and dangerous parts of our collective psyche. I know people are scared, I’m scared. Being scared and anxious right now is a natural reaction and if you’re feeling that, know that you’re not alone. Do what you need to do to keep yourself together and try to retain whatever routine you need.
Long story short, if you’re worried about COVID-19, get educated. Learn what you can and understand that some anxiety is OK and warranted, these are critical times we are living in. Just remember, we are all a little scared and uneasy. Be nice to each other. Stop mocking those who are worried and scared. Find peace, find comfort, eat pasta.
Notes about the recipe.
As I’ve mentioned before, if you can’t find eggs at the store, feel free to use water instead. Start with a cup and adjust from there.
I used fresh spinach to color the pasta dough but you can use whatever greens you have on hand. Swiss chard, kale, parsley, whatever you can get your hands on will be just fine.
To make the spinach puree, take a handful of spinach, place it in a food processor or blender with 1/2 cup of water and puree until its smooth. You can run it through a fine-mesh sieve if you want, otherwise, just mix it in with the eggs and get to kneading.
Pea and Ricotta Ravioli with Mushrooms and Cream
Ingredients
2 tablespoons pureed spinach
1 whole egg
4 egg yolks
2 tablespoons olive oil
hefty pinch of salt
2½ cups flour
2 cups ricotta
2 oz soft goat cheese
2 cups frozen peas, separated
1 cup parsley
pinch of salt
1 lb sliced mushrooms
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup milk
Directions
Make the pasta dough. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the pureed spinach, eggs, and oil. Stir until everything is evenly mixed. Slowly incorporate the salt and flour and mix with a dough hook until a firm ball is formed. Dump the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until the dough is firm. Wrap the ball in plastic wrap and chill while you make the filling.
Make the filling. Toss the parsley, 1 cup of peas, goat cheese, and ricotta in a blender and pulse until everything is smooth. You may need to scrape down the sides of the mixer as you work. The result should be smooth and bright green without any lumps or rogue parsley stems and leaves.
Roll the Dough. Take the dough out of the refrigerator and cut it into 8 even pieces (think of it as pie pieces). Grab to wedges to work with and cover the remaining dough with plastic to keep it moist. Roll one piece of dough until it is 1/8 inch thick either with a rolling pin or pasta machine, set this aside and do the same with the next piece.
Spread the filling. Using a spoon, gently spread the filling over the dough in an even layer, about 1/2 inch thick. Take the second rolled sheet and place it over the filling. Gently press the pasta dough into the filling, working from the center out to the edges, and press any air pockets out.
Stamp out the anolini. Using a pasta stamp, pastry cutter or simply a knife, stamp or cut the pasta to the shape you desire - I prefer to keep them 1 -2 inches in diameter max but you do you.
Cook the onions and mushrooms. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet until it shimmers. Add the onions and saute over medium-high heat until they are soft about 5-6 minutes. Add the mushrooms and a pinch of salt. Cook until the mushrooms release their liquid and soften, another 5 minutes or so. Add the peas and cook until they are soft, about 3 minutes and then add the minced garlic and cook until it is aromatic about 1 minute. Transfer everything to a bowl and return the skillet to the stove.
Make the sauce. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the flour and stir constantly while it cooks - this is a roux. Once the roux is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add a splash of milk. Stir vigorously while you add the rest of the milk, stirring to incorporate. Season with salt and pepper and add the mushrooms and onions back to the pan. Stir to coat everything evenly.
Cook the pasta. Bring a big pot of water to a rapid boil and add a hefty pinch of salt. Add the ravioli, working in batches if necessary, and cook until they float. Remove with a slotted spoon and add to the mushrooms and sauce. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid before dumping it out.
Toss it all together and serve. If the sauce has thickened, add some of the reserved pasta water and stir to incorporate. Serve with parmesan cheese and garnish with parsley.
