Spinach Ricotta Ravioli (Printable)

Delicate ravioli filled with creamy ricotta and fresh spinach, served in marinara sauce. A comforting Italian classic.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta Dough

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 3 large eggs
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Filling

04 - 1 cup ricotta cheese
05 - 1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
06 - 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
07 - 1 large egg yolk
08 - 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
10 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Sauce

11 - 2 cups marinara sauce
12 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
13 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
14 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Garnish

15 - Fresh basil leaves
16 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese

# Steps:

01 - On a clean work surface, mound flour and create a well in the center. Add eggs and salt, gradually incorporating flour with a fork until dough forms. Knead for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Wrap in plastic wrap and rest for 30 minutes.
02 - Steam or sauté spinach until completely wilted. Drain thoroughly and squeeze out excess moisture, then finely chop. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta, chopped spinach, Parmesan, egg yolk, nutmeg, salt, and pepper until evenly blended.
03 - Divide rested dough in half. Using a pasta machine or rolling pin, roll each half into thin sheets approximately 1/16 inch thick.
04 - Distribute teaspoons of filling 2 inches apart on one pasta sheet. Brush sheet edges with water, place second sheet on top, and press firmly around filling to seal. Cut into squares using a knife or ravioli cutter, pressing edges with a fork to ensure sealing.
05 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a gentle boil. Cook ravioli in batches for 3 to 4 minutes until they float to the surface. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
06 - Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Sauté minced garlic until fragrant, approximately 1 minute. Add marinara sauce, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for 5 minutes.
07 - Spoon marinara sauce onto individual plates. Top with warm ravioli, additional sauce, fresh basil leaves, and extra Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The filling tastes like spring even in the middle of winter, bright and creamy all at once.
  • Making pasta by hand is oddly meditative once you stop worrying about perfection.
  • Leftover ravioli freeze beautifully, so you can pull off an impressive dinner on a Tuesday.
  • The nutmeg in the filling is barely there, but everything tastes flat without it.
02 -
  • If your dough cracks while rolling, it's too dry, so mist it lightly with water and knead it again for a minute.
  • Don't overfill the ravioli or they'll burst in the water, a scant teaspoon is plenty.
  • Always press out air bubbles when sealing, trapped air makes them pop open during cooking.
  • Use a wide, shallow pot for boiling so the ravioli have room to float without bumping into each other.
03 -
  • Rest the dough for the full thirty minutes or it'll fight you when you roll it out and snap back like elastic.
  • Keep a small bowl of water nearby for sealing edges, and don't use too much or the dough gets gummy.
  • If you don't have a pasta machine, a wine bottle works in a pinch, just flour it well and roll with steady pressure.
  • Taste your filling before you start assembling, it's your last chance to adjust salt or add more nutmeg.
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