Both delicate and complex, its flavour and crunch herald the arrival of the summer. On his blog, doctor in molecular biology, Claude-Olivier Marti presents a recipe that faithfully enhances the richness of the vegetable.
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 5 min
Ingredients (4 servings):
16 green asparagus tips
Sauce
2 untreated lemons
30 cl 35% whipping cream
1 – 2 tbsp. mascarpone
salt and pepper
Ravioli:
Dough for fresh ravioli:
1 egg
100 g sieved flour
Filling:
250 g ricotta
1 pinch of nutmeg (optional)
salt and pepper
Making your own pasta is not difficult – all you need is a little time. Make a well in the center of the flour, and add the eggs. Gently begin to mix the eggs, gradually drawing in flour with each stroke. Knead the dough until it has a smooth, elastic texture. Wrap it tightly in plastic and allow it to rest for 1 hour. Your dough is now ready for further processing.
You now need a well-floured work top and your pasta machine (or a rolling pin) - and off you go! Simply feed the dough into the roller in order to obtain a thin layer. Between each pass, fold the strip into thirds (fold one side of the piece into the middle, then fold the other side over that to form 3 layers). Feed the dough into the machine again, starting with one of the narrower, open sides of the folded dough. Repeat the folding and rolling technique until you reach the desired thickness.
For the Ravioli:
Mix all ingredients in a bowl, fill it in a piping bag and spread it evenly over the fresh dough previously cut in round shapes. Wetten the rim around the filling so the pasta dough will stick together. Bring a second round piece of pasta dough over the first, slowly pressing the dough around the filling and removing the air.
Cook the green asparagus tips in the steamer until they are al dente. Cut them in half and keep them warm (not for too long, otherwise they become too soft).
For the sauce:
Wash lemons and grate the outer peel. Boil the 35% whipping cream in a small pan. Add the lemon zest and salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the mascarpone und let boil over a fairly high heat for about 2 – 3 minutes until the sauce thickens. Keep warm.
Boil the Ravioli in a large pot with briskly boiling salted water for about 3 – 4 minutes (careful, too large bubbles may damage the ravioli). Drain off the water.
Place the Ravioli and the asparagus tips in a deep plate and cover it with the lemon sauce.
A slightly different way of cooking asparagus… It is fresh with an enticing smell of spring !