Herb, Spring Pea + Ricotta Pierogi
Can you all feel it? That shift in the air and those warm patches of sun breaking through the seemingly endless gray. Thats right, spring is here and the world is turning green again. While I love winter and the snow, it always feels like a weight has been lifted once April hits.
What does spring taste like? For me, its fresh herbs and greens! Thats why I created this pierogi. It combines spring peas, fresh herbs, shallots, ricotta and parmesan cheese with a pinch of lemon zest and splash of white wine. If you want to take it up a notch (and create a show stopping pierogi), I encourage you to try “lacing” your shells by pressing fresh herbs between two layers of dough. I explain how below.
Ingredients:
For the filling:
1.5 cups spring peas
1.5 cups parmesan
15 oz whole milk ricotta (strained)
3-4 shallots (sliced)
3 tablespoons dry white wine
1/4 cup packed fresh herbs (can include basil, parsley, dill and other delicate herbs)
pinch of lemon zest and splash of lemon zest
salt and pepper to taste
For the dough:
2.5 - 3 cups flour
1 egg
2 table spoons sour cream (or Greek yogurt)
water (optional depending on dryness of dough)
herbs (I recommend hers like basil, parsley, and dill)
For serving (optional):
1/2 onion
butter
additional herbs
additional shredded parmesan cheese
sour cream
Filling:
Prep: Strain your ricotta cheese, preferably the night before. Wash and chop all your fresh herbs and slice your shallots.
In a large bowl, combine ricotta cheese and parmesan cheese. Mix and set aside.
In a sauce pan, heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil. Add sliced shallots and let cook for 2-3 minutes. Next, add spring peas and sauté until they are warmed through, about 3-4 minutes. Finally, add 3 tablespoons of white wine and cook until the liquid is just evaporated, about 1-2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Combine the cooked peas mixture to the bowl with the cheeses and gently mix, allowing the cheeses to soften and everything to mix together. Add in the fresh herbs, lemon zest a small squirt of lemon juice and continue combining. Taste! Add more salt, pepper or herbs until its perfect.
Dough:
In a bowl or flat surface, mix flour, egg, sour cream, water, and salt. Add more water if needed. Knead until it forms a dough ball. Cover the dough with the bowl and let rest for about 15 minutes.
Using a pasta roller, start with a #8 and fold the dough through 4 or 5 times. Switch to a #7 and fold through 2 times. (If you don’t have a pasta roller, a rolling pin will work.) Continue this until you get to about a #3 or #4 setting (dough should be about 1/8 inch thick).
Use a circle cookie cutter or glass cup to cut out 2-3 inch rounds. Lay dough rounds side by side in a row. Place herbs on half of the dough rounds. Cover the with the other dough round (essentially sandwiching the herbs between the layers of dough). Now, run this through your pasta machine (or flatten further with a rolling pin in you don’t have a pasta machine) until you start to see the herbs appearing though the dough. Again, the goal should be to get this to about a 1/8 inch thick. Be careful to not get this too thin or the herbs will break through the surface of the dough.
Assemble:
Place your new circle of dough into pierogi crimper and fill with about 1 tsp. of pea filling (be careful not to overfill or it will seep out the edges and you won’t get a good seal). Wet one side of pierogi with water before pinching shut. Trim excess edges if needed.
Cook:
Place pierogi in boiling water. Once they rise to the top continue to cook for 2-3 minutes and then remove with slotted spoon. Gently dry off the pierogi and sauté in pan with butter and onions. Sprinkle with additional herbs, shredded parmesan cheese or sour cream. Serve warm and enjoy.
NOTES: Pierogi can be frozen (either raw or after boiling) and stored in the freezer for up to three months. Freeze in a single layer on a wax paper lined cookie tray. Once frozen, transfer to freezer bags. On day of party, thaw and sauté in butter and onions and enjoy!
