Ravioli

Ravioli di Ricotta e Spinaci al Burro e Salvia

Soft pillows of egg pasta filled with ricotta and wilted spinach, dressed simply with brown butter and crisp sage — the classic Sunday-lunch ravioli from northern and central Italy.

Prep

60 min

Cook

6 min

Total

66 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •300 g (10½ oz) plain '00' or all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
• •3 whole (3 large) eggs, room temperature
• •1 whole (1 large) egg yolk, for the dough
• •1 pinch fine salt
• •450 g (1 lb) fresh spinach, trimmed, or 150 g / 5 oz frozen, thawed
• •350 g (12½ oz) fresh whole-milk ricotta, drained 30 min in a sieve; sheep's milk ricotta is most traditional
• •80 g (⅔ cup) Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated
• •1 whole (1 large) egg yolk, for the filling
• •1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• •1 pinch fine salt, plus more to taste
• •120 g (½ cup) unsalted butter
• •12 whole fresh sage leaves
• •40 g (⅓ cup) Parmigiano-Reggiano, extra, to serve
• •1 to taste (to taste) fine salt for the pasta water

Steps

1. 1 Make the dough: mound the flour on a clean work surface (or in a bowl), make a well in the center, and crack in the 3 whole eggs plus 1 yolk and the pinch of salt. Using a fork, gradually draw the flour into the eggs, then knead with your hands for 8–10 minutes until smooth, elastic, and just slightly tacky. Wrap in plastic and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. (Stand-mixer method: mix flour, eggs, yolk, and salt with the dough hook on low for 5 minutes, then knead briefly by hand.)
2. 2 Prepare the filling: if using fresh spinach, blanch in a large pot of boiling salted water for 30 seconds, then drain and cool under cold water. Squeeze out as much water as possible by hand, then chop finely. If using frozen spinach, squeeze it very dry. In a bowl, combine the chopped spinach, drained ricotta, grated Parmigiano, egg yolk, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt. Mix until smooth and taste for seasoning; the filling should be well salted because the pasta is plain. Cover and chill while you roll the dough.
3. 3 Roll the pasta: cut the rested dough into 4 pieces and keep the unused pieces covered. Flatten one piece with your hand and feed it through a pasta machine at the widest setting. Fold the dough in thirds, turn it 90°, and pass it through again. Repeat 3–4 times until smooth, then progressively thin the sheet, passing through each setting once, until you reach about 1 mm thick (the second-thinnest setting on most machines). The sheet should be about 12–15 cm / 5–6 inches wide and long enough to work in sections. Keep finished sheets on a floured surface or a tray lightly dusted with flour. Repeat with the remaining dough.
4. 4 Shape the ravioli: lay one pasta sheet flat on a lightly floured surface. Place teaspoons of filling (about 10–12 g / 2 tsp each) in a row along the sheet, spaced 4–5 cm / 1½–2 inches apart and leaving 2 cm / ¾ inch from the edges. Brush around each mound of filling with a little water using a pastry brush. Lay a second sheet of pasta over the top, pressing gently around each mound to push out any air pockets. Press firmly around the filling to seal, then cut between the mounds with a fluted pasta wheel or a sharp knife into squares (about 5 cm / 2 inches). Place the finished ravioli on a floured tray, not touching, and cover loosely with a clean towel. Repeat with the remaining sheets and filling.
5. 5 Make the sage butter: melt the butter in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add the sage leaves once the butter foams and cook gently until the butter turns a pale golden brown and smells nutty, and the sage leaves are crisp but still green, about 2–3 minutes. Take the pan off the heat so the butter does not burn.
6. 6 Cook the ravioli: bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, salt it generously (it should taste like the sea), and lower the heat to a steady simmer. Lower the ravioli in gently (cook in batches so they are not crowded) and stir once carefully so they do not stick to the pot. Cook for 3–4 minutes total from the moment the water returns to a simmer; they are done when the ravioli float to the surface, feel tender when lifted with a slotted spoon, and the pasta is cooked through with no raw floury bite. Do not overcook or the pasta will tear.
7. 7 Finish and serve: lift the cooked ravioli out of the water with a slotted spoon and transfer directly into the sage butter. Gently toss over low heat for a few seconds to coat. Divide among warmed plates, spoon over more of the browned butter and a sage leaf or two, and finish with a generous grating of Parmigiano-Reggiano and a grind of black pepper. Serve immediately.