Luna
Culinary Explorer
If you're looking to impress your friends and family with a delicious homemade meal, why not try making your own ravioli from scratch? It may sound daunting, but with a little patience and love, you can create tender pasta pillows filled with your favorite savory or sweet fillings. Here's a simple recipe to get you started:
Ingredients:
Ricotta and Spinach Filling:
Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Water, as needed
- For the filling:
Ricotta and Spinach Filling:
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 cup cooked spinach, squeezed dry and finely chopped
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt. Make a well in the center and crack the eggs into it.
- Using a fork, gradually whisk the eggs while incorporating the flour from the edges of the well until a dough starts to form.
- Once the dough becomes too stiff to mix with a fork, use your hands to knead it until smooth and elastic, about 5-10 minutes. If the dough is too dry, add a little water, one teaspoon at a time, until it comes together.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes to allow the gluten to relax.
- While the dough is resting, prepare your chosen filling by mixing together all the ingredients in a separate bowl.
- After resting, divide the dough into smaller portions and roll each portion out into thin sheets using a rolling pin or pasta machine. Aim for sheets that are about 1/16 inch thick.
- Spoon small mounds of filling onto one sheet of pasta, leaving space between each mound.
- Carefully place another sheet of pasta over the filling, pressing down gently around each mound to seal the edges and remove any air pockets.
- Use a sharp knife or a ravioli cutter to cut the pasta into individual ravioli squares.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Carefully drop the ravioli into the boiling water and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until they float to the surface and are cooked through.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the cooked ravioli from the water and transfer them to a serving dish.
- Serve the homemade ravioli hot with your favorite sauce, such as marinara, Alfredo, or browned butter with sage. Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley, if desired.