Big Stuffed Ravioli

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 shallots minced
• 6 cups sorrel stemmed, washed and dried before measuring
• 3 cups spinach stemmed, washed and dried before measuring
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 ounce ricotta cheese
• 16 fresh pasta sheets 4 inches by 4 inches, rolled thin enough for ravioli
• 9 eggs
• 1 small garlic clove minced
• 1/2 lb. morels
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1/4 cup crème fraiche
• 3 tablespoons chopped chervil
• 1/4 cup chervil sprigs
• 1/4 cup parsley leaves
• 6 medium sorrel leaves stemmed and cut into 1/8-inch ribbons
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Instructions

1. 1
   Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. As soon as the butter melts, add the shallots and cook until they are soft but not brown, about 2 minutes. Add the spinach and sorrel, season with salt and pepper and cook until wilted and tender, about 3 minutes. The spinach will stay bright green, but the acid in the sorrel will cause it to turn olive green. Cool and chop. Transfer the greens to a bowl and mix in the ricotta. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
2. 2
   Beat one of the eggs with 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl to form an egg wash. Lay 8 of the pasta sheets out on a countertop. Brush 1/2-inch boarder of egg wash around each pasta sheet. Put 1/8 of the sorrel mixture, about 4 tablespoons, in the center of the pasta and make a well in the mixture. Crack an egg into a teacup, taking care not to break the yolk. Pour the yolk and about half of the white into the well in the filling. (Discard the remaining egg white or reserve for another purpose.) Season the egg with salt and pepper. Cover with a second sheet of pasta and gently push out as much air as possible. Seal the edges with your fingertips or the tines of a fork. Trim the edges so they are clean and even. Set the ravioli aside on a lightly floured baking sheet. Repeat the process to make 7 more ravioli. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
3. 3
   Trim the stems of the morels. Cut them crosswise into 1/2-inch slices. Put the mushrooms in a bowl of warm water and swirl for about 30 seconds. Repeat 2 more times. The structure of the mushrooms provides nooks and crannies for dirt to settle, so this process is important. Drain the mushrooms well.
4. 4
   Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook 1 minute. Add the morels, season with salt and pepper and cook 5 minutes or until they start to brown. Transfer to a plate. Add the chicken stock to the pan and reduce by half. Add the morels to the chicken stock and heat through. Taste and season with salt and pepper if necessary. Just before serving, stir in the chervil.
5. 5
   Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season with salt. Slip the ravioli into the water. Cook, stirring gently several times, until done, 4 to 5 minutes for a runny egg yolk. Cook longer for a firmer yolk.
6. 6
   While the ravioli are cooking, toss the herb salad in a small bowl, season with salt and pepper and lemon juice.
7. 7
   Scoop the ravioli out of the pot with a slotted spoon and place 2 ravioli on each of 4 warm, large, shallow bowls. Spoon the warm morels and chicken stock over the ravioli. Top with a spoonful of crème fraiche and garnish with the herb salad.