Ravioli Recipe

Make the dough

On a clean work surface, mound the flours and make a large well in the center. Crack the eggs and extra yolk into the well, add olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Using a fork, gently whisk the eggs while gradually incorporating a little flour from the inner wall of the well. Continue until mixture becomes thick and shaggy.

Knead

Bring the dough together with your hands and knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. If dough feels dry, add the warm water 1 teaspoon at a time (use the listed 1 tablespoon only if needed). If too sticky, dust with a little extra flour. Form into a ball.

Rest

Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes to relax the gluten while you prepare the filling.

Cook the spinach

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the fresh spinach in batches and cook, stirring, until wilted, about 2–3 minutes. Transfer to a colander and press out excess moisture with the back of a spoon or squeeze with clean hands. Allow to cool slightly.

Combine filling

Finely chop the cooked, squeezed spinach. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta, chopped spinach, 1/2 cup Parmesan, 1 egg, 1/8 tsp grated nutmeg, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Mix until smooth and evenly combined. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. If mixture is too wet, add a tablespoon of breadcrumbs (not listed) or a bit more grated Parmesan to tighten.

Chill filling

Cover and chill the filling in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes while you roll the pasta dough; this firms the filling and makes it easier to work with.

Roll the dough

Unwrap the dough and cut into 4 equal pieces. Lightly flour work surface and roll one piece at a time through a pasta machine or with a rolling pin to approximately 1.5–2 mm thickness (thin but not transparent). Keep unused portions covered to prevent drying.

Portion filling

On one sheet of rolled dough, place teaspoons of filling spaced about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart in rows. Brush a little water or lightly beaten egg around the filling mounds to help seal.

Top and seal

Lay a second sheet of dough over the filled sheet, pressing down between mounds to eliminate air. Use a ravioli cutter, pastry wheel, or a sharp knife to cut individual ravioli. Press edges firmly or crimp with fingers/fork to ensure a tight seal. If desired, press out any trapped air by gently pressing each ravioli center to the edge.

Cook ravioli

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Gently lower ravioli (in batches to avoid crowding) into the boiling water. Cook fresh ravioli for 2–4 minutes, or until they float and the pasta is tender. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a warm plate or sauté pan with sauce.

Make sage butter

While ravioli are cooking, melt the unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sage leaves and cook until the butter turns a light golden-brown and the sage becomes crisp, about 3–4 minutes. Watch carefully to avoid burning. Remove from heat and season with coarse salt and a pinch of black pepper. Stir in lemon zest if using.

Toss ravioli

Add cooked ravioli into the skillet with the sage butter and gently toss to coat, spooning the butter over them for 1 minute to warm through and absorb flavor.

Serve

Plate the ravioli, spoon remaining sage butter over the top, sprinkle with 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan and an extra grind of black pepper. Serve immediately as an appetizer (2–3 ravioli per person) or larger portion if desired.