This recipe came out of a desire to make something delicious with egg roll wrappers leftover from another recipe and a seasonal vegetable, which happened to be Snap Peas.  However, the recipe is versatile, and I’m also looking forward to making them in the winter with roasted butternut or Kabocha Squash (“Japanese Pumpkin”) and maybe some fried sage.  

Because I couldn’t think of a sauce that wouldn’t overwhelm the delicate flavor of the peas and herbs (and I don’t like cream sauces), I decided to serve them in a light broth.  The result is a fresh-tasting pasta/soup hybrid.  This recipe makes four generous servings, probably six if served as a starter.

I have made this using two different cheeses and it was delicious both ways.  If you can get it, Cypress Grove offers an amazing chevre called Purple Haze which is made with lavender buds (hence the name) and fennel pollen.  The plain Trader Joe’s kind (I think it’s called Silver Goat) also works just fine, and about half of the eleven-ounce log is a good amount. 

Snap Pea and Chevre Ravioli

1 lb snap peas, washed (not necessary to trim ends)
1 lemon, quartered
assorted fresh herbs. (I used chives, tarragon, basil, thyme, mint, and added dried lavender when using the plain cheese)
about 10 whole black peppercorns
1 package egg roll wrappers (or fresh or homemade pasta)
4-6 oz chevre (soft goat cheese)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, rind reserved, plus additional for grating over finished dish
1/4 cup bread crumbs (plain)
freshly ground pepper

Fill a large pot (six-quart size works well) about two-thirds full of water, or with about as much as you would use to boil a pound of dry pasta. Add a good amount of kosher salt— a few tablespoons should do it.  (You could also use stock, but you might want to dilute it by about half, and don’t add any additional salt.)

Make a “bouquet garni” by tying some herbs together with kitchen string— just use a branch or two of whatever fresh herbs you are using.

Finely chop the rest of the herbs to equal 1/2 to 3/4 cup depending on your taste.

When the water boils, add the peas and cook just until they are bright green and crisp-tender.  Scoop them out of the water with a sieve, slotted spoon, or mesh skimmer (whatever you have), reserving the water or stock in the pot.

Transfer the peas to a bowl of ice water, or run lots of cold water over them to cool quickly.  Meanwhile, add the bouquet garni, lemon wedges, whole peppercorns, and parmesan rinds to the water, cover, and turn the heat off.

Pulse peas in a food processor until chunky.  Push chunky peas through a food mill into a large bowl, scraping the underside with a rubber spatula from time to time.  This step is time consuming but well worth the smooth texture obtained by using the food mill. 

After you’ve extracted as much puree as possible from the peas (discard the solids left in the food mill), crumble in the goat cheese and add the chopped herbs, parmesan, bread crumbs, and freshly ground pepper to taste and mix well.

Lay out one egg roll wrapper, and, using a pastry brush or your fingertips, brush water lightly around all 4 edges and in a “+” shape through the center, dividing the sheet into quadrants.  Place a dollop of filling in each of the four “quadrants” of the egg roll wrapper, then place another wrapper on top.  Press along the + and edges (where you brushed water) to seal, then cut into quarters to make 4 ravioli.

Transfer the ravioli to a piece of parchment or a kitchen towel (don’t overlap or they will stick together), and repeat with remaining egg roll wrappers and filling.

Taste the cooking water, which at this point has been steeping a while.  Add salt or seasoning if needed (I like to use a bit of “Better than Bouillon” which is a concentrated stock).  The broth should have some flavor but still taste light and fresh. 

Remove the herbs, lemon, and cheese rinds, and return the stock to a gentle boil.  Drop the ravoli a few at a time into the stock, and cook for about 2-3 minutes or until they float and the pasta is translucent enough to kind of see the filling inside.  Making them in batches helps prevent sticking.

Serve the ravioli in wide bowl with an ample amount of broth.  Grind a bit of pepper and grate some parmesan over the top.  When you cut into them, the filling that escapes will mix in with the broth making it even tastier.  Yum!