Ricotta and Spinach Ravioli
Ingredients
Yield: 24 ravioli
For the Pasta Dough
- 250 g Italian "00" flour (or all-purpose flour)
- 124 g eggs (approximately 2 whole eggs and 1 egg yolk)
- Semolina flour for dusting, as needed
For the Filling
- 250 g fresh spinach
- 125 g cow's milk ricotta
- 50 g Parmigiano Reggiano PDO, freshly grated
- Nutmeg, to taste
- Fine salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Begin by preparing the fresh egg pasta dough; knead until smooth and leave it to rest covered.
- Place the rinsed spinach into a wide non-stick pan, cover with a lid, and let it wilt over medium heat. Cook until completely tender, about 2 minutes.
- Once cooked, drain the spinach thoroughly and squeeze out any excess liquid. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the ricotta and grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Season with a pinch of nutmeg and mix together with a hand whisk until smooth. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
- Finely chop the cooled spinach in a food processor, then fold it into the ricotta mixture. Stir well until you obtain a uniform filling.
- Transfer the filling into a piping bag and set it aside.
- Divide the rested pasta dough into two equal portions. Keep one wrapped in plastic wrap so it does not dry out. Lightly dust the other piece with semolina flour and roll it through a pasta machine, gradually decreasing the roller width from the thickest setting down to the second-to-last notch, achieving a sheet roughly 1 mm thick. Repeat the process with the second piece of dough.
- Lay the two pasta sheets on a work surface lightly dusted with semolina flour. Using the piping bag, pipe small mounds of filling along one of the sheets, spacing them about 3 cm (1.2 inches) apart.
- Lightly mist or brush water along the borders and between the mounds of filling to ensure a tight seal.
- Carefully drape the second pasta sheet over the first, aligning the edges. Gently press down around each mound of filling with your fingers, working from the center outward to push out any trapped air bubbles (this prevents the ravioli from bursting while boiling).
- Using a fluted pastry wheel cutter, trim and cut out ravioli measuring approximately 4x4 cm (1.5x1.5 inches) to yield about 24 ravioli.
- Transfer the finished ravioli to a tray dusted with semolina flour. Cook in gently boiling salted water for 3 to 4 minutes and toss with your favorite condiment, such as melted butter and fresh sage.