Mint and Pea Love Letters with Merguez Sausage.

For the tomato sauce, in a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute until tender, about eight minutes. Add the thyme and carrot and saute until tender, about five minutes. Add the tomatoes, stir to combine, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, add the sausage, and simmer for 30 minutes, skimming off any excess fat.

Remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly. Transfer to the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade attachment and puree for one minute. Transfer to a large, deep saute pan, season, and set aside, keeping warm.

For the mint and pea filling, in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade attachment combine all of the ingredients and puree until smooth, about three minutes. Transfer to a bowl, season, and set aside.

For the pasta dough, in a large bowl combine the flour, eggs, and oil and mix to combine. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth, about eight minutes. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and set aside to rest for 30 minutes. Unwrap the dough and transfer to a lightly floured work surface. Divide the dough into four pieces and roll each piece through a pasta machine four times, starting at the thickest setting and ending on the thinnest. Cut the sheets into 48 3-inch squares, cover with a clean cloth, and set aside.

To assemble the love letters, place the pasta squares on parchment-lined sheet pan. Brush the edges with the egg wash and place one tablespoon of the pea filling to one side of each square. Fold the pasta sheets in half to enclose the filling and form neat rectangles. Cover and set aside in the refrigerator.

To finish the love letters, bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the love letters and simmer until cooked. Remove from the heat and strain through a fine mesh sieve. Add the love letters to the tomato sauce and place over medium heat. Simmer until warmed through, about three minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside, keeping warm.

To serve, spoon some love letters onto the center of a plate and garnish with mint.

For the tomato sauce:

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 

1 onion, peeled and diced

4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

3 tablespoons chopped thyme

1 small carrot, peeled and grated

2 28-ounce cans peeled whole tomatoes, crushed

1/2 pound Merguez sausage, diced [*]

Salt to taste

For the mint and pea filling:

1 pound fresh peas, blanched 

1 bunch peppermint, stemmed and blanched

1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1/2 cup heavy cream

Salt and pepper to taste

For the pasta dough:

4 cups all-purpose flour

4 eggs, beaten

1/2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

2 egg yolks beaten with 1/4 cup water

For the garnish: Mint leaves

(*.) Merguez sausage is a specialty lamb sausage from North Africa. Available in specialty food markets.