Idaho® Potato Ravioli with Minted Pea Sauce

Download Hi-Res Recipe Photo

Ingredients:

2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
8 teaspoons water, plus additional as needed
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 pounds medium Idaho® potatoes, unpeeled, scrubbed
2 tablespoons peanut oil
8 shallots, peeled and minced
2 cups grated Gruyère cheese
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground white pepper, to taste
Cornstarch, as needed
Olive oil, as needed
8 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil or lemon oil, for drizzling
Minted Pea Sauce (recipe follows)
8 teaspoons freshly shaved Parmesan cheese
8 teaspoons bacon bits (optional)
24 to 32 pea-shoot tendrils (optional)
Minted Pea Sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 medium white onion, diced
1/2 clove garlic, minced
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
8 ounces fresh spinach leaves, stemmed, cleaned, dried
5 ounces shelled fresh peas
3 tablespoons fresh mint leaves
1 1/2 cups potato water from boiling potatoes (or vegetable stock)
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
Salt, to taste
White pepper, to taste

Directions:

Prepare ravioli dough: In small bowl, combine eggs, olive oil and water; mix well. In another bowl, combine flour and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Make a well in center of flour; pour in egg mixture. Using your hands, gradually work flour into egg mixture, adding more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, if needed to make a dough.
Transfer dough to a clean work surface; knead until it is smooth and elastic, 6 to 7 minutes. Do not overwork dough or allow it to warm. Divide into 4 pieces. Wrap in plastic; refrigerate at least 1 hour, but no longer than 2 days.
Put potatoes in large pot; cover with salted water. Cook until soft and easily pierced, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain, reserving 2 cups cooking liquid. Let potatoes cool 3 minutes; peel while still hot, using a knife and a towel or napkin. Pass peeled potatoes through a food mill or sieve while still warm.
Heat peanut oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until oil slides easily across the pan. Add shallots; cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes; let cool. Add shallots, cheese and salt and white pepper to taste to potatoes; mix to combine.
Remove one piece ravioli dough from refrigerator; roll out in pasta machine.
Lay rolled dough on a clean work surface. Using a tablespoon, place spoonfuls of potato purée in three rows over half the pasta sheet, leaving 2 inches between each spoonful. Brush other half of sheet lightly with water; fold over the first. Run a finger around each pocket of filling, pressing to seal.
Using a round cookie cutter (about 3 inches in diameter for entrée-size raviolis), cut ravioli. Transfer to baking sheet dusted with cornstarch. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Set filled ravioli aside to dry for 15 minutes; turn and dry 15 minutes more.
Prepare Minted Pea Sauce: Heat olive oil in saucepan; add onion, garlic and cumin; gently sauté 7 to 8 minutes, until light gold. Chop spinach to a chiffonade; add to pan along with peas, mint and 1 1/2 cups reserved potato water or stock. Bring to simmer; cook until spinach has wilted, 3 to 4 minutes.
Transfer sauce to blender, in batches if necessary; blend until very smooth, about 1 minute. Strain; discard solids. Return strained sauce to pan; heat to a gentle simmer. Add nutmeg, salt and white pepper to taste; reserve.
Refill pot with salted water; bring to boil. Add ravioli; cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Drain.
Heat small amount of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add ravioli flat-side-up; sauté until golden-brown, 15 to 30 seconds. Gently turn and cook other side; reserve.
Reheat sauce, thinning with a small amount of potato water, if necessary. Plate 3 or 5 ravioli per portion and sauce with about 1 tablespoon Minted Pea Sauce per piece. Drizzle each portion with 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil or lemon oil. Garnish with 1 teaspoon Parmesan shavings, and chopped bacon and pea-shoot tendrils if desired.