Potato and green garlic ravioli with fava beans

Place the potatoes in a pot and cover with at least 2 inches of salted water. Bring to boil and simmer until tender, for about 6 minutes. There should be no resistance when pierced with a small sharp knife or skewer. Drain the potatoes, then pass through a food mill to puree or mash until the potatoes are superfine. Slice the green garlic stalks into thin rings, including any lighter green stems.

Melt 1 tsp butter into small, heavy bottomed skillet. Add the sliced green garlic along with enough water to cover. season well. Cook until soft, for about 3-4 minutes. Make sure the pan does not dry out and cause the garlic to stick. When the garlic is cooked, stirred it into the pureed potatoes with the crème fraiche, then season. Refrigerate to cool thoroughly.

Make a well in the flour and pour in the eggs. Mix with fork, incorporating the flour bit by bit. When it turns stiff, finish the mixing by hand. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead lightly. Or make the dough in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Measure the flour in the mixture bowl and pour in the eggs while mixing at low speed. Mix until the dough just starts to come together. adding a few drops of water if it is dry and crumbly. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead. Shape the dough into disc and wrap in cling film. Let it rest for one hour. 

Roll the dough out by hand on lightly floured board or with a pasta machine. When using a machine, roll the pasta through the widest setting, fold into thirds and pass through the machine again. Repeat twice. Then roll, decreasing the setting on the machine one notch at a time, until you attain the desired thickness of 1.5mm.

Cut the pasta into sheets, about 14 inches long. Keep the stacks of well floured extra sheets of pasta under a towel to keep them from drying out. Along the lower third of the long side of each sheet of pasta, pipe or spoon blobs of the potato and green garlic filling, about the size of 1 tbsp. each, keeping about 1 and 1/2 inches between each blob of filling. Spray very lightly with a fine mist of water.

Fold the upper half of the pasta over the lower half. Starting at the fold, press the two layers of pasta together with your fingerprints, gently coaxing all the air out of each ravioli. When the ravioli have been formed and pressed, cut off the bottom edge with a zigzag rolling cutter and cut between each bit of filling. Separate the ravioli and lay them out on a pan sprinkled with flour, making sure they are not touching each other. Cover with a towel or parchment paper and refrigerate right up to time of cooking. This keeps the filling from seeping through the ravioli. To save time, you could even use a ravioli tray.

Blanch the fava beans in boiling water, then cool in ice water. Drain and pop the beans out of their skins. When ready to serve, bring a large pot of salted water to the boil.

Melt 2 tbsp. butter in a heavy bottomed pan and add the sage leaves. Cook until the sage turns translucent, add the fava beans and pour in a ladleful of boiling water. Adjust the seasoning. Cook the ravioli in the boiling water for 5-6 minutes or until they rise to the surface. Drain, or remove from the water with a slotted spoon. Place on a platter, or in individual bowls and spoon over the fava beans and their liquid. Sprinkle with parmesan and serve immediately...