Ravioli di Magro

Ravioli di Magro (Lean Filled Pasta)

A classic Tuscan and Ligurian pasta of delicate egg pasta filled with ricotta, spinach and parsley. The 'magro' (lean) refers to the absence of meat in the filling, making it a traditional dish for Lent and lighter meals.

Prep

60 min

Cook

4 min

Total

64 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •300 g (10½ oz / 2 cups) type 00 flour, plus extra for dusting; or all-purpose flour
• •3 whole (3 large) eggs, room temperature
• •2 whole (2 small) egg yolks
• •1 tsp olive oil
• •1 pinch fine salt, for the dough
• •400 g (14 oz) fresh spinach, or 150 g / 5 oz frozen, thawed and squeezed dry
• •300 g (10½ oz / 1¼ cups) fresh ricotta, drained in cheesecloth for 30 minutes if very wet
• •60 g (2 oz / ½ cup) Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated, plus extra to serve
• •1 whole (1 large) egg, for the filling
• •20 g (¼ cup) flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• •1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• •100 g (3½ oz) unsalted butter, for the sauce
• •10 g (¼ cup) fresh sage leaves, or a grating of Parmigiano-Reggiano for a simpler finish

Steps

1. 1 Make the dough: mound the flour on a clean work surface and make a wide well in the center. Crack the eggs and yolks into the well, add the olive oil and a pinch of salt. Using a fork, gradually pull flour from the inner walls into the eggs until a shaggy dough forms, then knead with your hands for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth, elastic and slightly tacky. Wrap in plastic and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
2. 2 Prepare the filling: bring a large pot of unsalted water to a boil. Add the spinach and blanch for 30 seconds, then drain and immediately plunge into cold water. Squeeze out as much water as possible, then chop finely. (If using frozen spinach, thaw and squeeze very dry in a clean kitchen towel.)
3. 3 In a bowl, combine the chopped spinach, drained ricotta, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, the egg, parsley, nutmeg and a pinch of salt. Mix until uniform; taste and adjust salt. The filling should be flavorful but not wet; if it seems loose, add another spoonful of grated cheese.
4. 4 Roll the pasta: cut the dough into quarters. Keep the pieces you are not working on covered. Flatten one piece and feed it through a pasta machine at the widest setting, folding and re-rolling 2 to 3 times. Continue passing the dough, reducing the setting one notch at a time, until you reach a thin setting (about 1.5 mm / 1/16 inch). The sheet should be thin enough that you can almost see your hand through it. Repeat with remaining dough.
5. 5 Form the ravioli: lay a pasta sheet on a lightly floured surface. Place teaspoons of filling about 4 cm / 1½ inches apart in a row down the sheet. Lightly brush around each mound with water using a pastry brush. Lay a second sheet over the top and press down firmly around each mound of filling to seal, working out any air pockets. Cut into squares with a fluted pastry wheel or sharp knife. Dust with flour and set on a floured tray while you repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
6. 6 Cook the ravioli: bring a large pot of well-salted water to a rolling boil (about 10 g / 2 tsp salt per litre). Drop the ravioli in batches, stirring gently to keep them from sticking. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes; they are done when they float to the surface and the pasta is tender with no chalky bite at the center when you cut one open.
7. 7 Finish the sauce: while the ravioli cook, melt the butter in a wide pan over medium heat with the sage leaves until the butter turns golden and smells nutty, about 3 to 4 minutes. Discard the sage if you prefer a clean butter flavour.
8. 8 Drain the ravioli with a slotted spoon (or skimmer) and transfer directly to the butter pan. Toss gently to coat. Serve immediately, finished with a generous grating of Parmigiano-Reggiano.