Ravioli Recipe

Make a flour well

On a clean work surface, mound the flour and make a large well in the center. Sprinkle the 1/2 tsp salt into the flour rim.

Crack the 3 eggs into the well, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon water. Using a fork, gently beat the eggs and gradually incorporate flour from the inner rim until a shaggy dough forms.

Knead the dough: gather the dough and knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. If too sticky add up to 2 tbs more flour; if too dry, wet fingers with a little water and continue kneading.

Rest the dough: form into a ball, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes to relax the gluten.

Wilt the spinach: heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the 5 oz spinach and sauté until wilted, 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly.

Drain excess moisture: transfer wilted spinach to a fine mesh sieve or clean towel, press or squeeze to remove as much liquid as possible. Chop finely once drained.

Combine filling: in a bowl combine 1 cup ricotta, chopped spinach, 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan, 1 egg yolk, 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Mix until uniform and fairly thick. Taste and adjust salt/pepper as needed.

Chill filling: cover and refrigerate the filling for at least 15 minutes to firm up, which makes portioning easier.

Prepare work area: divide rested dough into 4 pieces. Keep unused pieces wrapped. On a lightly floured surface, roll or sheet one piece of dough into a thin rectangle about 1.5 mm thick (or #6 on a pasta machine).

Portion filling: drop heaping teaspoon-sized mounds (about 12–14 total for whole recipe) of chilled filling onto the sheet spaced about 1 1/2 inches apart.

Top sheet and seal: lightly brush the dough around filling mounds with water. Roll out a second sheet to the same thickness and lay it over the filled sheet. Press gently around each mound to seal air out, then use a ravioli cutter or a sharp knife to cut between mounds into individual squares. Press edges firmly (or crimp with a fork) to ensure a tight seal. If edges are not sealed, the ravioli may open while cooking.

Dust and rest: transfer finished ravioli to a floured baking sheet in a single layer. Lightly dust tops with flour so they don't stick. Let rest 10–15 minutes while sauce is prepared and water comes to a boil.

Bring salted water to boil: fill a large pot with water and bring to a rolling boil. Salt generously (about 1–2 tbsp salt per 4–5 liters of water).

Cook ravioli: gently lower ravioli into boiling water in batches (do not overcrowd). Stir gently to prevent sticking. Fresh ravioli cook quickly — about 3–4 minutes; they will float to the surface when done. Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve about 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water.

Make brown butter: in a large skillet over medium heat, melt 6 tablespoons unsalted butter. Continue to cook, swirling the pan occasionally, until butter foams, then browns and smells nutty, about 3–4 minutes. Watch carefully to avoid burning.

Add sage: add 12 fresh sage leaves to the butter and fry for 20–30 seconds until crisp and fragrant. Remove pan from heat, stir in 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper.

Finish sauce: if sauce needs to be loosened, add 2–3 tablespoons reserved pasta water and stir to emulsify.

Toss ravioli: add cooked ravioli to the skillet and gently toss to coat with brown butter and sage. Heat just until warmed through, 30–60 seconds. Be gentle to avoid tearing ravioli.

Plate: divide ravioli among 4 plates (servings). Spoon any remaining brown butter and crisp sage over the top.

Garnish: sprinkle 1/4 cup grated parmesan and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley over the ravioli. Add an extra grind of black pepper if desired.

Serve immediately: enjoy hot. Leftover ravioli can be refrigerated for 1–2 days; refresh by gently reheating in a skillet with a little butter and reserved cooking water.