Pecorino Ravioli with Walnuts and Marjoram

• Recipe by Marcia Kiesel

In adapting this recipe from executive chef Shea Gallante at Cru in New York City, F&W's Marcia Kiesel traded a labor-intensive fresh pasta for premade wonton wrappers and was thrilled with the results. Wonton wrappers are milder-tasting than fresh pasta, which makes them a better showcase for the nutty brown butter, delicate young pecorino cheese and fresh marjoram.

Ingredients

1. 3/4 cup walnuts
2. 1/2 pound young pecorino cheese, such as Rossellino, rind removed, cheese grated (1 1/2 cups)
3. 1/2 cup heavy cream
4. Salt and freshly ground pepper
5. 48 wonton wrappers
6. 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
7. 2 tablespoons marjoram leaves

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Put the walnuts in a pie plate and bake for about 5 minutes, until lightly toasted and fragrant. Let cool, then coarsely chop.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a gentle simmer. In a medium bowl, stir together the cheese and heavy cream and season lightly with salt and pepper. On a work surface, lay out 4 wonton wrappers and moisten the edges with water. Place 2 teaspoons of the cheese filling in the center of each wrapper. Top with 4 more wrappers, press to remove any air pockets and then press well around the edges to seal. Transfer to a lightly floured baking sheet and cover lightly with plastic wrap. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling.
3. In a medium skillet, cook the butter over moderate heat until it just starts to brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
4. Add the ravioli to the simmering water and cook until just tender, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. With a slotted spoon, carefully transfer the ravioli to a large platter and blot dry with paper towels. Reheat the butter, letting it boil over moderately high heat until richly browned. Add the marjoram leaves and let wilt, about 5 seconds. Pour the browned butter over the ravioli, sprinkle with the toasted walnuts and serve right away.

Make Ahead

The assembled ravioli can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 4 hours.